After a prolonged winter and a spring that was much too short, summer finally arrived. On the first day of summer, I attended an outdoor event taking place just east of Denver, Colorado. It was a good thing I had the foresight to wear my winter coat, but it was so chilly, I wished I also had thought to bring gloves and a hat. The foothills received a dusting of snow, and I was beginning to wonder if we would see sunshine any time soon. One week later, temperatures shot up past 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It is not uncommon for temperatures in the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies to shift quickly from cold-to-hot or vice-versa, but over the past few years, the fluctuations seem more frequent and more extreme.I tell myself these strange weather patterns force me to be more flexible.

While we adjust to the current weather patterns, the EET&D team is mapping out the editorial calendar for 2020. As we do every year, we will carry over certain topics that coincide with events or times of year (e.g., storm prevention and restoration for the third and fourth quarter issues, or upcoming technology trends for the first quarter issue), some of the best ideas for what topics we will cover come from our readers and industry partners. For example, we did not include Industry 4.0 in our 2019 editorial calendar, yet two of the articles in this issue touch upon the topic.

In his article titled “Energy 4.0, Revolution or Fad?” Edgar Sotter, who is the director of product strategies and client solutions for Systems with Intelligence, focuses on 4.0. Sotter presents arguments to support the adoption of Industry 4.0, but rather than gloss over the advantages, he points out the risks involved with this new technology – especially for the electric energy market.

Mike Smith, with SAS, gives Industry 4.0 honorable mention in his article, “The Digital Utility Sounds Cool, but It’s a Lot of Work, Too.” Digital technology has taken over how we live and how we access and share information. It also is changing the future for utilities. It may not be a simple undertaking, and not all utilities are eager to embrace the digital age, but those utilities that accept they no longer can afford to avoid digitization stand a better chance of surviving Industry 4.0 and whatever unknowns it has in store.

Another unplanned topic that shows up in more than one article in this issue is the role of female executives in the energy sector. According to research conducted by global nonprofit Catalyst, women make up 15 percent of senior management positions within the utility industry. While the gender gap in the energy sector still must be addressed, it appears that more women are assuming leadership roles in energy. Perhaps that is why three of the articles in this issue showcase women in power, starting with Virginia?based utility Green Mountain Power (GMP), and its CEO Mary Powell.

Since last year, when we first wrote about Virginia-based GMP, Powell and her team have continued their legacy as a small utility that is big on innovation. This issue’s Grid Transformation Forum column tells the story of GMP’s Resilient Home pilot through the experience of Erik Yunghans, a GMP customer participating in the program. As you read it, you, like the members of Yunghans' family who do not live in Virginia, may want to encourage your local utilities to explore something similar. You’ll also see why we're so enthusiastic about the potential Resilient Home offers for utilities of all sizes. By the way, If you work for or know of a utility that is developing any new programs or products we should know about, email me. We would love to share your innovation with our readers.

Also in this issue, is a recap from IEEE Senior Member Kathy Herring Hayashi, chair of the sixth annual IEEE Women in Engineering International Conference. Held in Austin from May 22 -24, the 2019 event gathered more than 1,000 STEM leaders from around the world, who work to inspire, engage and advance women in technology. In her article, Herring Hayashi writes about some of the more poignant comments made during IEEE WIE. She also included information for anyone interested in learning about or who would be interested in speaking at next year’s IEEE WIE conference.

Rounding out the topic of women holding leadership positions in the energy sector, we profile Kumi Premathilake, senior vice president of advanced metering infrastructure in this issue’s Powherful Forces column. During the interview, I asked Premathilake to talk about her experience as a female executive in an industry made up mostly of men. Premathilake responded, “Sometimes we get so busy, we don’t have time to think about things like what kind of an impact we have, but when I speak to others in the industry, it gives me an opportunity for introspection. I’ve been fortunate to be in a position of leadership, and discussions like the one we have had today, make me think how I can do a better job of paying it forward to the next generation.” She cites an encounter she had with a younger female associate. The young woman told her she had seen Premathilake's name while walking past her office and decided to look her up. Recounting this story, the younger colleague also explained how excited she was to discover Premathilake was an executive within the company. “She did not know me, and yet, because I was a woman in a leadership role, I still had an impact on her. To me, it is a great honor to have that kind of influence, and I see it as a privilege not to be squandered.”

If you have an idea about emerging or innovative technology, or would like to suggest a topic to cover, please email me at Elisabeth@ElectricEnergyOnline.com.

Elisabeth