Standards are just the beginning
BY RICK GEIGER, Cisco Systems
The aging electrical infrastructure and utility industry is undergoing its greatest transition in a generation. Grid modernization is already having a significant impact on how the energy industry operates. As with the adoption of any new technologies, the Smart Grid faces multiple challenges, one of which is determining how to ensure interoperability of its multiple components and overall interoperability for the Smart Grid.
SMART...
Improving communications for electric utilities BY MIKE KOCH, Motorola Solutions Utility management has never been an easy profession. The stakes rose dramatically when the U.S. government designated energy and communications as two of the top industries of all 16 critical infrastructure...
Advanced solar inverters could be one of the biggest distributed energy resource communications and control points out there someday. With California now requiring at least early-stage “smart” capabilities from all new solar projects — and a standards road map for next-stage...
Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and private 5G networks promise deterministic, low-latency communication for modern protection and control—extending real-time reliability beyond the substation fence. Why Determinism Matters In protection systems, milliseconds determine success or failure. A...
Already, smart city technologies are strong in Europe and the Middle East. Now, cities all over North America are joining the smart cities movement as well. Once the journey begins, a city quickly realizes that it cannot become smart and sustainable without the help of its electric power utility....
Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and private 5G networks promise deterministic, low-latency communication for modern protection and control—extending real-time reliability beyond the substation fence. Why Determinism Matters In protection systems, milliseconds determine success or failure. A...
In a strategic move to tackle the growing electricity demand and bolster energy security, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), under Secretary Chris Wright, has announced plans to focus on expanding baseload and dispatchable power generation. This shift in priorities, outlined on January 5, 2025,...
A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...
The shift from traditional electrical grids to smart grids marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of energy distribution and management. Smart grids leverage cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced automation to transform how...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a proposal from PJM Interconnection, one of the United States' largest regional transmission organizations, to alter its transmission planning protocol. The decision represents a significant victory for state regulators who had expressed...
As Texas continues to experience rapid population growth and surging electricity demand, there is increasing pressure on the state's electrical grid to meet the needs of its residents. According to Texas energy leader, Dan Woodfin, the state's grid needs a fundamental redesign to address the...
