How the U.S. and Canada maximize their working relationship
BY PATRICK BROWN, Canadian Electricity Association (CEA)
North America is shifting towards a new energy paradigm. Where it was once viewed through the prism of scarcity, some are now beginning to speak of energy in the language of abundance. The grounds for optimism are understandable. For instance, technological breakthroughs on the production side are unlocking previously inaccessible deposits of oil and natural gas, while advances in conservation and efficiency practices are affording customers greater control over their energy use.
Still, the achievement of North American independence from volatile global energy markets is by no means a foregone conclusion. Economic recovery efforts remain fragile. The supply and delivery infrastructure for our resources is in urgent need of upgrade while an evolving landscape of risks poses significant threats to its security. And perhaps most importantly, transformative events in the market—such as the North American boom in natural gas production—have overtaken many of the policy structures in place across Canada and the United States that are essential in managing and integrating the North American power grid.
Too much of the framework shaping governments’ approach on energy issues is therefore not optimally-suited to addressing...
How utilities can move forward using electric vehicles BY BEAUDRY KOCK, Recargo Until recently, North American electric utility reps might have understood electric vehicles in one dimension only: potential adverse impacts on the power grid. However, as knowledge and understanding have grown, such...
Addressing the impacts and the drawbacks BY ELIZAVETA MALASHENKO, CHRIS VILLARREAL, & J. DAVID ERICKSON, California Public Utilities Commission With grid modernization or “Smart Grid” efforts underway, cyber security is being recognized as an increasingly important factor in ensuring...
Advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have been utilized over the year by utility industry in order to improve power quality, reliability, efficiency and security. Growing concern for environment, increasing complexity in managing convectional grid, energy sustainability and...
Managing change with positive thinking to make the most of investments BY JOHN MCDONALD, IEEE Senior Member, GE Energy Management - Digital Energy The process of writing requirements for Smart Grid-related technology purchases may appear simple and straightforward. It is not. As the technology...
Distributed energy resources (DERs) can benefit the power system and individual homes and businesses. DERs can increase the resiliency and reliability of the power grid, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the overall power cost, and provide power at the point of use. Several types of DERs can...
Brief Background: In the early 1900’s Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR) conductor was developed to replace copper wires, due to the war effort when copper was needed for munitions. In the 1970’s growing demand for electricity inspired the development of higher capacity...
This project won EEI Transmission Project of the Year – 2016 Description: 240 circuit miles, 345 kV line, double bundleProject: Replace 1,440 miles of ACSR conductor with ACCC Objectives Improve reliability (reduced sag and corrosion) Increased capacity to serve growth (2X...
A recently published report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlights the significant cybersecurity risks facing the nation’s power grid. One of the key findings in this report is that “the grid is becoming more vulnerable to cyberattacks - particularly those involving...
If you thought growth in renewable electricity generation was a big deal – and it is – you haven’t seen anything yet. Full-scale transformation to a cleaner, smarter and more flexible grid will be driven by a suite of innovations – referred to as Distributed Energy Resources – that...
The idea of a cyberattack on the power grid may invoke images of flickering lights and a race against the clock to block an intrusion – but, often the most serious threats aren’t that obvious or dramatic.Cyber threats that target critical infrastructure facilities like the power grid...
