RWE and adesso expand their IT and AI partnership

Die Partnerschaft zwischen RWE und adesso ist in den vergangenen Jahren stetig gewachsen und basiert auf einer echten Zusammenarbeit auf Augenhöhe. RWE bringt tiefgreifende energiewirtschaftliche The partnership between RWE and adesso has grown steadily in recent years, and is grounded in a genuine relationship between equals. RWE brings deep expertise in the energy sector that directly shapes how solutions are developed, from operational requirements in power generation to complex regulatory and sustainability demands. adesso contributes IT consulting and digital transformation capabilities that translate this knowledge into scalable technology. Together, both organisations have built a powerful foundation that significantly enhances the efficiency, sustainability and innovation of energy production. The collaboration now encompasses over 50 jointly realised projects, including data and analytics solutions, cloud architectures, SAP consultancy, web and mobile applications, and AI-based use cases.

Joint innovation formats such as the annual Innovation Day, where both teams collaborate to identify and develop new ideas, exemplify this spirit of shared ownership. One tangible result is the jointly developed data-driven optimisation of power plant maintenance, initially trialled at RWE’s gas-fired power station in Pembroke, UK. Dashboards and predictive models developed jointly with adesso are used there to accelerate maintenance processes and improve operational efficiency. The solution is part of a comprehensive data and AI programme aimed at further developing maintenance at RWE Generation. It is now in use at more than 20 power stations in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.

The new framework agreement marks a significant step in the collaboration between the two companies, giving it a stronger international focus. Rather than pursuing AI for its own sake, both partners take a deliberate approach: AI is deployed where a clear, evidenced business case has been identified – relieving colleagues from transactional tasks and delivering structured insights to support optimised decision-making, both within IT operations and directly in business processes.

To support international scaling, adesso will establish a virtual hub for software development, AI applications and digitalisation projects through the Global Transformation Centre concept, integrating global services from Germany, nearshore, and offshore locations. At the core of adesso’s approach is the Smartshore model, which combines onsite excellence with shoring efficiency, giving RWE access to global talent and scalable service delivery while maintaining the quality and proximity for which the partnership is known.

At the same time, the use of AI is being expanded in business processes as well as across the entire software lifecycle – from development and operations through to managed services and DevOps processes. A joint innovation budget will also specifically support joint projects in the fields of AI, automation and operational innovation, particularly with regard to power production, renewable energy and data-driven business models.

“The energy transition has made our energy system more complex. A high-performance digital, IT and data landscape is crucial for managing these dynamics,” says Colin Hudgell, Director IT at RWE Generation. “We want to use data even more consistently, further automate processes and create scalable IT structures. Our collaboration with adesso supports us in systematically expanding these capabilities – from the further development of our platforms to the targeted use of AI in key processes.”