With 2030 arriving in just five years, will we see a greater push by energy providers and consumers to reduce global emissions by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050?

In this issue, EET&D Magazine wraps up 2024 with a great lineup of articles from experts, who have added to the conversation about how the electric energy sector is working to meet those net zero goals. This includes what obstacles have impeded or will continue impeding this effort and what must be done immediately to ensure the industry can move past those obstacles.

To give a sense of how the industry is tackling the challenges affecting the electric utility sector, I will touch on a few of the articles, starting with the article titled “The Digital Transformation of the Electric Utility Industry” by Scott Buoy with Sendero Consulting.

Buoy weighs in on the complexities of digital transformation and how utilities can navigate them. To keep pace with the changing energy sector and succeed on its path toward a modernized grid, Buoy maintains that utilities must embrace and invest in the latest technological advances available. Rather than merely listing the tools, Buoy also explains how these tools work and why integrating them is a necessary step for utilities to succeed in achieving their goals.

In his article, “Challenges Impeding Electrification and Digital Transformation and Why Device Management Can Help,” Curt Ahart with Digi International addresses several challenges getting in the way of utilities’ efforts towards grid modernization. While each of the impediments Ahart discusses deserves consideration, I will highlight just two of them.

At the top of Ahart’s list is the financial burden associated with aging grid infrastructure. As utilities transition to new technology and equipment, they must also find ways to maximize their existing assets, including those that need replacing or improving. All of this requires time and money.

Another obstacle utilities face on the road toward a modernized grid is the cost of and data associated with –investing in and maintaining assets such as sensors, cameras and other connected devices. Today’s modern utilities find themselves handling more assets than ever, and those assets generate significant amounts of data that utilities will need to collect, analyze and manage.

Regardless of the challenges the electric energy sector faces, utilities must find cost-effective solutions to address them. Ahart breaks down why utilities must find these solutions. He also offers steps utilities can take to save time and money.

Real-life examples

Also featured in this issue are case studies from Omaha Public Power District and AES Power Company. By teaming up with industry partners, these utilities have achieved early success in their navigation toward a modernized grid.

Not only does this issue feature industry experts’ insights on challenges utilities face, but it also includes case studies to show how two utility providers have navigated some of these obstacles successfully.

Like every other electric energy provider, Omaha Public Power District, the 12th largest public power utility in the U.S., has experienced a surge in electricity demand. In his article about OPPD’s effort to streamline field operations for a digital future, Kevin Egan with Panasonic Connect shares a case study on how his company partnered with OPPD.

Egan explains how his team helped OPPD improve operational efficiencies and customer communication and their efforts to assist with the power company’s transition from outdated systems to digital platforms.

Quoting Scott Marshall, manager of Application Services at Omaha Public Power District, Egan shares the broader vision behind OPPD's digital transformation. “Our shift to a digital utility company is not just about modernization,” says Marshall. “It’s a commitment to addressing our customers’ present needs while innovating for their future challenges. Through the integration of technology and a focus on customer-centric solutions, we are empowering our communities to thrive.”

Our second case study in this issue comes from AJ Hall with AES – a global energy company – and Jonathan Marmillo with LineVision, a Boston, MA – based power transmission solutions company. Hall and Marmillo set the scene for their column by talking about how the growth of electricity demand has created an abundance of opportunities. But, the antiquated condition of most infrastructure in the U.S. is so dated that it can’t accommodate the increased need for electricity.

AES recognized it needed to act immediately to improve its grid capacity, which is why the company partnered with LineVision to deploy Grid-Enhancing Technologies – specifically Dynamic Line Ratings – across five... five transmission lines in Indiana and Ohio. At the time, this was the largest deployment of DLR in the U.S.

Hall and Marmillo discuss why DLR is an ideal “here-and-now” solution because, as they write, “The traditional means of upgrading grid infrastructure would be to install new transmission lines, which must be part of the solution, but new lines can take up to ten years and cost millions of dollars per mile….” DLR, on the other hand, “can create near-immediate improvements in grid efficiency upon installation.”

By deploying DLR, AES saw significant expansion in its grid capacity across its transmission lines in Indiana and Ohio. In addition to showing how DLR proved to be an affordable solution that can provide transmission lines, the findings of this case study also demonstrate that DLR has the potential to benefit electric utility providers and consumers alike.

As we approach the year 2030, the existing challenges of modernizing the grid will continue to mount, and no doubt, those who work in the electric energy sector will encounter new obstacles as they endeavor to transform the electric grid. The team at EET&D appreciates the thoughtful discussions that each of our subject matter experts has shared with our readers over the past year, and we look forward to seeing where the next phases of the conversation take us.

As always, if you would like to contribute an article on an interesting project, please email me: Elisabeth@ElectricEnergyOnline.com

Elisabeth