The energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the global push towards sustainable fuels and chemicals. With decarbonization goals becoming a priority across industries, companies are seeking innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions, enhance operational efficiency, and meet regulatory demands. The shift towards greener alternatives, such as renewable energy sources, requires a comprehensive approach that integrates digital solutions with traditional practices. As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, the development of technologies that address the challenges of carbon intensity management is becoming crucial to ensure progress in the refining and chemical sectors.
Tathagata Basu, the Global Head and General Manager for the Sustainable Fuels & Chemicals industry segment of Honeywell Process Solutions, is leading the charge in this transformation. With a passion for humanizing digital technologies, he focuses on optimizing operator performance in downstream energy industry worldwide. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to helping industries transition to sustainable operations by integrating the latest digital technologies into everyday work processes. Tathagata’s approach emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and finding innovative ways to improve their operations, ultimately driving the energy transition forward.
Tathagata’s team continues to innovate and drive sustainability by applying Honeywell’s breadth of technology from AI (Analog Inputs) to Artificial Intelligence (AI) with deep process domain knowledge across the value chain, driving outcomes around Autonomous Operations, Connectivity & Cyber Resilience and Energy Transition.
In this interview, Tathagata shares his insights on cultivating innovation within the sustainable fuels and chemicals industry.
Let’s explore the future of sustainable energy together:
Can you elaborate on your role as the Global Head & General Manager for the Sustainable Fuels & Chemicals segment at Honeywell Process Solutions?
My day job is to lead the growth strategy of our digital solutions as it pertains to the fuels and chemicals market in this energy transition paradigm.
However, most part of my job is to be an active listener and help our customers find improvement opportunities that lie beyond the obvious. I have over 25 years of experience in digitizing energy and chemical operators all over the world. I am passionate about using digital technologies to improve operator performance in a plant, to not only make them situationally aware but also future ready.
I am very proud to lead a global team of experts with decades of experience in digitizing energy and chemical companies.
What are the key strategic decarbonization objectives your team is focusing on for Honeywell’s downstream energy customers?
In recognition of the urgent need to reduce carbon footprint across industries, regulations have been established to confront this critical challenge, acknowledging the significant social and global impacts of carbon emissions. Globally, stringent policies such as EU RED II and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) aim to internalize the social costs of carbon emissions and ensure global competitiveness while transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
On the other hand, the US IRA has announced incentives to industries that can credibly demonstrate reduced carbon intensity. These regulations and incentive schemes create monetizing opportunities for industries. Recognizing this need, the management of carbon intensity gains prominence in today’s industry challenges.
While carbon intensity cannot be directly measured, it can be effectively estimated using a variety of data sources and applying sophisticated algorithms that are based on the frameworks established by ISO 14000, GREET, and CORSIA.
At Honeywell we base our approach on a comprehensive framework of solutions that address assessment, measurement, monitoring, reporting, and reduction of carbon intensity across the hydrocarbon value chain. It comprises of three main components—a Digital Twin, an Analytics Engine, and an Optimization Suite—to manage the carbon footprint in near real-time.
For Greenfield projects, Honeywell Carbon Intensity Management framework is an effective way to increase the bankability of sustainable energy projects by providing a credible and auditable framework to digitally unlock benefits of monetizing carbon reduction. It represents a pivotal advancement in the quest for sustainable business practices and carbon footprint reduction.
Can you discuss some of the most impactful digital offerings your team has overseen at Honeywell and their outcomes?
In the current wave of innovation across industries, it is essential to acknowledge the pivotal role of operators at the heart of technological advancements. Operator control rooms should transcend simple data display; they should tell a story, outlining current and possible future states.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play a role in transforming control rooms into proactive decision-making centers. The Honeywell Experion Intelligent Cockpit exemplifies this paradigm shift, integrating software and AI to offer operators real-time insights and forward-looking perspectives.
Digital Transformation efforts, already underway, utilize software applications to address immediate challenges, yet advancing requires new AI technologies for sustained performance and unlocking next-level intelligence.
The journey towards autonomous plant operations addresses workforce challenges, enhances asset productivity, and reduces human error. Our use of AI to rapidly transform plant operations includes Adaptive Optimization, Predictive Asset Performance Monitoring, AI-based tools for a Smart Workforce, and sustainability applications for Active Energy and Emissions Management.
At Honeywell, we continue to explore new use cases for Intelligent and Autonomous solutions using AI deployment in complex process plant operations. From intelligent closed-loop industrial process controls to scalable AI deployment at the edge, these capabilities empower operators and operational autonomy in the control room and field.
Honeywell has been a pioneer in automation control for over a century. How is your team leveraging this legacy to create high-quality and high-performance chemicals and materials today?
Honeywell stands out in the crude to chemicals sector through its two businesses, UOP and Process Solutions. Together, they offer unique, integrated solutions to enhance customer efficiency, minimize project risks, ensure quicker start-ups, achieve faster full capacity and maintain optimal and safe plant operations throughout its lifecycle.
Experion Solution Suites, a comprehensive automation package designed for Honeywell UOP units, integrates process solutions into Honeywell’s ExperionPKS® Digital platform. It includes pre-configured control designs, graphics, alarms, sequences for startup/shutdown, hardware designs, and process digital twins tailored to UOP process designs.
This approach aims to guarantee operational readiness from day one, shortening the time to reach full capacity. Experion Solution Suites covers crude to chemicals production, including Hydrogen Purification, on purpose propylene using Oleflex™ technology, Ecofining™ technology for converting waste oils to sustainable aviation fuels and even the recently launched Naphtha to Ethane & Propane (NEP) technology.
How does Honeywell’s technology help organizations reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency?
Honeywell’ Digital Decarbonization playbook, includes a comprehensive decarbonization pathway for our customers. It uses a framework that starts with an Assessment phase to benchmark, analyse and define the feasible pathways, measure and calculate Scope 1& 2 emissions, continuously monitor emissions, applying control and optimization technologies to reduce emissions followed by reporting and reconciliation to ensure an auditable tracking of emissions. This cycle of improvement when put in place and implemented in a structured way, institutionalizes a digitally enabled decarbonisation strategy for downstream energy and chemical operators.
To highlight a few of the digital technologies that are used:
One, the Honeywell Signal Scout™ gas detector, uses innovative gas leak detection technology for Methane emissions monitoring across industries. Signal Scout™ communication is based on LoRaWAN® protocol communication technology for large area coverage. Its compact and aerodynamically optimized design is coupled with easy installation and commissioning that aids quick deployment in the field.
The second offering for measurement to highlight is the Honeywell Rebellion Gas Cloud Imaging (GCI) camera, with a range of up to 1,700 m [5,577 ft]; it is designed for large sites and extended areas and uses advanced snapshot hyperspectral imaging for real-time detection, identification, and quantification of gas leaks.
Honeywell Forge Enterprise Emissions Manager is highly scalable, enterprise-grade cloud software that provides accurate Scope 1 GHG accounting, simplified reporting, and near real-time enterprise-wide visualization to enable customers’ decarbonization goals. It includes data connectors to automatically ingest data from operational sources to accurately calculate emissions both at the plant and enterprise levels. This software seamlessly integrates with Honeywell’s Experion Emissions Monitoring software as well as Signal Scout™ gas detectors, Rebellion Cameras, and other sensors to measure emissions directly from the source.
What are some of the biggest challenges your customers faces in the sustainable fuels and chemicals market, and how are you addressing them?
Our customers highlight five challenges: Production Asset Reliability, Aging Workforce, Siloed IT and OT Systems, Cyber Attacks, and Effective monetization of “green premiums”.
Therefore at Honeywell, we focus on three outcome areas to address these challenges:
- AI & Autonomous solutions: to enable step-change in decision-making speed, operational performance and reliability, and worker productivity through faster and contextualized retrieval of information, knowledge management, proactive advisories, decision support, and corrective actions.
- Cyber & Connected solutions: to design out of the box cyber secure solutions to protect our customers cyber assets, without sacrificing the benefits of a connected open and cloud infrastructure.
- Energy Transition solutions: to integrate into business models with technologies to help detect, measure, monitor, and report emissions and optimize production, storage, and utilization of alternative energy sources.
What emerging trends in the energy and chemicals industries do you foresee?
- Energy transition is driving a shift towards renewables and alternative fuels. Refineries are no longer solely focused on producing traditional fuels but are now integrating operations to manufacture Renewable and Sustainable Fuels, Chemicals, Methanol, Ammonia, and e-fuels. These transformations are essential for reducing emissions and managing carbon intensity, which is increasingly becoming a critical factor in business decisions.
- Moreover, the focus on reducing carbon emissions means that ROI is no longer the only metric for evaluating projects. Today, environmental impact holds equal weight, as companies must navigate the complex global landscape of carbon regulations, tax incentives, and penalties. The industry is also moving toward modular construction, increasing the pressure on resource optimization, and retention of experienced operators as the workforce ages. In this evolving environment, digital transformation becomes critical for operational efficiency and sustainability.
How have Honeywell’s technologies significantly benefits a new downstream energy venture?
At Honeywell, we are uniquely positioned to help our customers thrive in this changing landscape through six key value levers:
- Intelligent Enterprise from Day 1:
Honeywell’s integrated, cyber-secure systems—from design to commissioning—offer up to 30% savings by reducing the need for complex integrations. Our natively integrated platform connects field devices to control rooms and business systems, streamlining processes and reducing OT capex to be able to generate revenue from Day 1. - Accelerated Schedules:
Through lean execution and the use of digital twins, we significantly shorten project timelines. By decoupling hardware and software, and leveraging virtual systems, we can accommodate late changes without delays. This typically reduces the project schedule by 10 to 15 weeks, accelerating time-to-market and ensuring facilities reach peak capacity earlier. - Intelligent Cockpit:
Our Intelligent Cockpit solution enhances operator performance, combining AI-enabled tools with our proven Experion PKS platform. This empowers operators to manage start-ups, shutdowns, and abnormal situations more effectively, improving productivity by up to 2x and enhancing overall equipment effectiveness. The result? Increased plant uptime from day one. - Leaner Systems:
Honeywell’s Integrated Virtual Environment (HIVE) technology reduces field cabling and hardware needs by up to 20%, saving on both capital and operating expenses. Our virtual architecture minimizes the physical footprint of control rooms, decreasing civil work and HVAC requirements, and driving significant long-term savings. - Hydrogen Passport for Carbon Intensity Management:
With net-zero targets becoming increasingly critical, our solution helps customers track carbon intensity in real time. This enables them to monetize their reduced carbon footprint, making them eligible for carbon credits and demonstrating a green premium of 100 to 500 basis points—proven to customers and regulators alike. - Infinite Longevity and Future-Proofing:
Honeywell’s systems are built to last. Our backward-compatible technology ensures that customers won’t be left behind, with systems in place since 1975 still operating today. Over a 10-year period, this leads to a 35% reduction in total cost of ownership, avoiding costly rip-and-replace cycles while ensuring smooth technology migrations.
What processes do you use for building and executing business growth plans within Honeywell?
Honeywell Accelerator is our company-wide process that fuels our progress. Accelerator is our revitalized operating system used to manage and govern our business. It includes employee resources like standard tools, processes, and playbooks.
It removes barriers to execution and improves speed for our employees. It creates benefits in innovation and product development, customer service and satisfaction, M&A integration, achievement of financial and ESG objectives, and talent development.
How does Honeywell foster innovation within its teams to continuously improve its product offerings in the sustainable fuels and chemicals domain?
Honeywell uses a robust and agile NPI (New product introduction) process with stage-gates to mitigate technical and commercial risks from product concepts all the way through the post-launch stages of a new product launch.
How is Honeywell aligning its corporate sustainability goals with global efforts to combat climate change, particularly within your division?
At Honeywell, we’re dedicated to driving the transformation to a sustainable future, and we’re well on our way to delivering on our commitment to make all our facilities and operations carbon-neutral by 2035. Our sustainable technology is already out in the world, making an impact.
Learn more at https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/company/sustainability
What future developments or innovations can we expect from Honeywell in the realm of digital twin technology, and how do they align with the company’s long-term vision?
The next phase of innovations in Digital Twin technology is the evolution of an industrial metaverse of digital twins in the different phases of a manufacturing enterprise that seamlessly evolves from a simplistic/low-fidelity twin during the design phase to a complex/high-fidelity twin needed for Plant Operations and Optimization.
It can be used to model processes, equipment, sustainability, support worker training, as well as the entire enterprise operations. The digital twins in the different phases are informed by and are dependent on the other, though each has different components of the model.
Changes in one twin will need to be synchronized to adjust related twins in different phases. Consistent use of digital twins across the lifecycle of assets, all the way to the operations phase, is key to realizing capital benefits and achieving operational excellence.
At every stage of handoff, there will be a need to maintain the integrity in a central database with a defined ontology and secured with role-based access control.
At different stages of the lifecycle, a continuously evolving digital twin can serve multiple internal and external stakeholders like Designers, Engineers, Construction partners, Operators and Maintenance technicians.
The goal of the Digital Twin ecosystem in a Digitally Native enterprise is to deliver capital projects on schedule and within budget, leverage investments in each stage of the enterprise lifecycle to build a solid foundation for the next stage and create an optimal operational state from traceable, up-to-date, and reusable twins across multiple functions.
Advancing Digital Twin Technology
At the beginning of 2024, Honeywell realigned our business for growth around three megatrends: Automation, The Future of Aviation, and The Energy Transition.
We have a deep history in Industrial Automation that spans more than five decades—from enabling process industry operations to enabling OEMs with our sensors to making warehouses smarter and improving worker productivity.
Additionally, Building Automation utilizes automation software, hardware, and analytics to help customers convert buildings into integrated, safe, and more sustainable assets.
Used in virtually every commercial and defense aircraft platform worldwide, Aerospace Technologies will continue to lead the future of air travel, including driving advanced air mobility and greater sustainability with the electrification of aircraft.
Sustainability has been a focus of Honeywell for decades and is in our DNA—enabling energy evolution, improving resiliency and efficiency, and reducing emissions. Together, Honeywell’s experts will help solve tough energy transition challenges across our end markets through our Energy and Sustainability Solutions business.
