Session 15: Grzegorz Marecki - AI Innovation for the Permitting Process

AI Innovation for the
Permitting Process
Grzegorz Marecki, CEO
grzegorz@continuum.industries

© 2025 Continuum Industries. All rights reserved.
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The global grid needs to
double in size by 2050
NET ZERO TRANSITION
Over five times the amount of new electricity
transmission infrastructure will need to be
delivered in the next seven years than has been
built in the past 30 years
National Grid UK as quoted in the Construction Enquirer

Limited expert resources
to meet demand on time
Increasing pressure
from stakeholders

AI-powered platform for
transmission development
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● Automates identification and assessment
of routing & siting options
● Streamlines collaboration between teams
● Used by Asset Owners, Developers, System Operators
Projects to date
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Countries where Optioneer
has been deployed
120+
Monthly users on platform
Kilometres of project asset
options evaluated
80,000+ 100+
Overhead power lines
Underground & subsea cables
Hydrogen, CO2 & water pipelines
Suitable for:

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AI can have considerable
impact on projects
AI for Project Development
12 months of work
completed in 8 weeks

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AI can have considerable
impact on projects
Permitting Complexities
Source: NEMA, Siting Transmission Corridors - A Real Life Game of Chutes and Ladders

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Optioneer output
Understanding the visual impacts of
an overhead line from very early on

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Optioneer output
● Earthworks volume
& costs estimates
● Open-cut & trenchless methods for crossing
● Avoiding or following existing linear features
● Minimum cover required based on land type
ENGINEERING
● Designated sites
● Agricultural quality of
soils
● Flood risk
● Protected habitats
ENVIRONMENTAL
● Optimising # of land owners involved
● Optimising # of constraints within
catchment of assets
● Distances to nearest constraint at
every point of the route
PERMITTING
● Buildings, functional sites
● Steep slopes
● Surface water and flood zones
● Contaminated or hazardous sites
TECHNICAL
Integrating all disciplines to
speed up development
● Hard to reinstate
habitats
● Hedges
● Archeology
● Forests

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Creating a space for collaboration in GIS
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

15
GIS Data Aggregation
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

8 000+ data layers across
Europe and the US are
integrated and available
off-the-shelf in Optioneer
Making new projects faster
to start and giving them
access to the best available
GIS and permitting data
Baseline
Data Sets
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OFFSHORE ONSHORE

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Unified Design & Assessment Parameters
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

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GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

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GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

20
Optioneer Routing Enginer
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

22
Least Cost Path algorithm vs. Optioneer AI Engine

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Optioneer output
Automated analysis of millions of
potential routes in 2 -3 hours

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Collaborative GIS Interface
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

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Collaboration and Visualisation
Data analysis, collaboration and
visualization in one platform

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Powerful Data Visualisation
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

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Powerful Data Visualisation
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS

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OUTPUT
Balancing key priorities with
budget & cost constraints

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Data Exports
GIS DATA
AGGREGATION
UNIFIED DESIGN
PARAMETERS
OPTIONEER ROUTING
ENGINE
COLLABORATIVE GIS
INTERFACE
POWERFUL DATA
VISUALISATION
DATA EXPORTS
OUTPUT

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OUTPUT
Production of impact reports
within a few clicks

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Source: NEMA, Siting Transmission Corridors - A Real Life Game of Chutes and Ladders
We aim to help take
transmission projects from
a concept to a permit
as fast as possible &
at the lowest possible risk
Continuum Industries

Session 15: Grzegorz Marecki - AI Innovation for the Permitting Process

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Session 15: Grzegorz Marecki - AI Innovation for the Permitting Process