In the year-and-a-half, I have been with EET&D Magazine, I have learned more about technology in the energy space than I did in the 20 years I spent working in the tech sector. Many of the articles we have published since I came on board have addressed the most of this technology has been introduced within the past few years. Today’s technology comes at us so fast; utilities have to ramp up quickly to understand it, even if it is technology they don’t intend to adopt any time soon, if ever.

Clayton M. Christensen coined “disruptive technology” in 1995. The term is a fitting way of describing emerging technology in the energy sector. If you search the internet for examples of disruptive technology, several, if not most of the results will include those that have already begun to impact the industry. AMI, IoT, AI, AR, DERMS, CRM, machine-based learning and EV’s are a small sampling of technology that has disrupted how energy is produced, distributed and consumed.

We have published several articles in EET&D that talk about DERs (Distributed Energy Resources). When writing about multiple DERs, some of our contributors have referred to them as “DERs,” while others used “DER.” I attempted an online search to find the proper way to reference more than one DER. The first results were in German and had nothing to do with distributed energy. DERs may not be the at the top of the disruptive technology list, but based on how many of in our industry are working with them, it won’t be long until DERs are more widely-accepted and more disruptive, which means we may see a consensus on how to refer to the plural of DERs.

In this issue of the magazine, a number of the articles are about DERs, beginning with

The Grid Transformation Forum column by Mike Ballard with Oracle’s Utilities and Tanuj Deora with SEPA. In their article, Ballard and Deora explain how, over the next few years, some customers are expected to invest more in energy efficiency and DERs than utilities will. This is due, in part, to better-informed customers, who have higher expectations, which is likely to have an impact on utilities. Those utilities who remain open-minded about the transformations the industry is undergoing, rather than viewing DERs as encroaching on their territory, will be better able to create value-added services for their customers.

Dave Christophe with Nokia shares his observations on the impact of new technology on utilities. Not only must utilities around the world accept the dynamic nature of new technology, but they must also prepare for its arrival, including the disruptive proliferation of DERs.

David Martin, who is the co-founder of Power Ledger, writes in this issue about the role DERs play in Australia, and how they could affect the energy sector worldwide. According to Martin, DERs may challenge everything we know about the energy industry, but they also could be the answer to clean and affordable electricity for both emerging economies and “energy-poor” populations.

In his article, Dan Garvey with PowerRunner also talks about the emergence of DERs and specifically, the U.S. power sector’s response to them. Garvey writes, that in in 2020, California will require new homes three stories or higher to incorporate DERs into their design. With these requirements in place, will it pave the way for other states to follow suit?

As utilities respond to the latest technology trends, they must be address cyber and physical security issues, embrace renewable energy, be vigilant about maintaining and replacing aging infrastructure and remain current on regulatory issues. That is a lot to juggle.

This is where industry experts like Michele Negley with CLEAResults come in. Negley, whom we profile in our “Powherful Forces” column, provides the experience and intelligence to help utilities navigate the disruption by designing and implementing energy efficiency programs.

Based on the different approaches our industry experts take, it is clear DERs are neither universal nor will they be uniformly integrated. It may take time for the power sector to comprehend all that DERs have to offer. To some, DERs may remain a competitive threat, but like it or not, DERs are making their presence known.

One of the most significant challenges utilities face is the changing role of energy consumers. Today’s utilities must acknowledge the customers’ increasing demand to control how and when they use energy. There is an abundance of roadmaps, benchmarks and strategies covering energy providers and their customers. Consulting companies have cropped up to help utilities do a better job of delivering an enhanced customer experience. In this issue, PA Consulting takes this a step further, focusing on Nextgen fieldworkers and their ability to respond quickly to customers. As the article explains, when fieldworkers in remote locations are equipped with smartphones or tablets, they can communicate immediately when customers or colleagues need them.

As we enter the fourth quarter of 2018, we will see the inevitable lists of technology trends coming our way. Whether or not any of the technology is disruptive,

I believe the energy community, diverse as it is, has the industry experts and offers the resources necessary to make sure we are prepared to ride that wave.

If you would like to contribute an article or if you have an idea about interesting technology, solutions, or suggestions, please email me at Elisabeth@ElectricEnergyOnline.com.

Elisabeth