Ben Franklin famously said, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail”. This saying certainly holds true for Smart Grid deployments, which can cost utilities several hundred million dollars. Given these high stakes, effective planning is essential.
Many North American electric utilities have installed Smart Grid systems. Currently, 25 percent of U.S. electricity customers have smart meters, a key component of the Smart Grid. Some early deployments were rocky, but utilities have learned...
How new technologies can improve monitoring and control BY LOURENCO TEODORO, InduSoft Substations are a critical component for maintaining electrical supply and load control in low voltage, medium voltage and high voltage electrical distribution networks. In order to ensure the proper functioning...
Ever since 2015, EIA’s monthly estimates of electricity generated from residential small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems less than 1 megawatt in capacity have set new monthly high records. The latest reported month is no exception. The June 2017 estimate for small-scale solar PV output...
Unclogging the arteries of North America’s power grid BY DAVE BRYANT, CTC Global Corporation Without access to affordable and reliable electricity, no society in today’s world can possibly flourish. Canada and the U.S. rely heavily on electricity to pump water to grow crops,...
The rapid shift toward renewable energy resources (RERs) has placed significant demands on traditional power systems. To address these challenges, modern energy infrastructure is evolving into smart grids, leveraging advanced technologies like Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) to enhance grid...
Reliable and secure communication infrastructure is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the modern power grid. As utilities transition to digital substations, integrate distributed energy resources (DERs), and deploy real-time monitoring systems, the need for robust, scalable grid...
A Smart substation digitizes protection and control, enabling utilities to detect faults faster, manage DER volatility, and reduce outage risk. The payoff depends on architecture, cybersecurity, and edge analytics, not just new relays. The shift toward smart substations is inseparable from broader...
Alliant Energy has officially brought Iowa’s largest solar facility online, marking a significant milestone in the state's renewable energy landscape. The 200-megawatt (MW) Pleasant Creek Solar project, located in Linn County, is now operational and supplying clean electricity to Alliant...
Texas is at a pivotal crossroads in its energy policy, with legislative actions that could significantly reshape the state's electricity landscape. A recent report by Aurora Energy Research, commissioned by the Texas Association of Business, warns that proposed restrictions on renewable energy...
Duke Energy Florida has announced plans to build four new utility-scale solar energy facilities across the state, aimed at adding 300 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to the grid. This expansion is part of the company’s broader strategy to increase its solar generation capacity and...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has launched a review of the rules surrounding the colocation of large energy consumers, such as data centers, with power plants within the PJM Interconnection region. This review follows concerns raised by stakeholders, including major energy...
