Before We Called Them Digital Twins
Before We Called Them Digital Twins
Long before “digital twin” became a familiar term, we were already building something remarkably close.
More than 15 years ago, we developed energy platforms that brought together data, models and operational insight to help people understand how energy systems were performing. They gave users a digital view of real-world assets and processes, helping turn complex information into decisions.
Today, we might describe that idea as a digital twin. The terminology has changed. The underlying challenge hasn’t: how do you connect what’s happening in the real world with a useful, up-to-date digital representation? And how do you make that representation valuable to the people running the system?
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- Published10 January 2026
- Written byPaul Twyman
Our early energy platforms tackled those questions before “digital twin” was part of the conversation. They helped make energy performance visible, supported analysis and gave teams a stronger basis for action. They weren’t built to follow a trend. They were built to solve practical problems.
That history gives us a useful perspective on the current excitement around digital twins. A digital twin is more than a 3D model or a dashboard. Its value comes from connecting real-world information with a clear purpose: improving understanding, testing decisions, or helping people operate assets more effectively.
Back then we relied solely on offline footage to create the digital replica but nowadays with the latest real-time game engine and pixel streaming technologies we can produce living breathing digital twins that update in real-time and can play out different scenarios.
The technology available today is different, and the possibilities have grown. But the central idea feels familiar to us. We’ve been working with digital representations of energy systems for a long time — back when we called them energy platforms.
Sometimes, the future arrives before we have the words for it.
If you would like to know more about our Digital Twin solutions, please get in touch.