Asset management evolves as microgrids play various roles
BY MASSOUD AMIN, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Microgrids, as many readers are aware, are small power systems of several megawatts (MW) or less in scale that possess three primary characteristics: distributed generation with optional storage, autonomous load centers and the capability to operate interconnected with or islanded from a larger grid. These small-scale systems offer a variety of benefits in the Smart Grid era....
Currently, modern electric utilities are facing an avalanche of new data. Each new system deployed presents a tremendous amount of information that can provide great value to the utility. Unfortunately, the tools available to work with this information are often rudimentary and create difficulties...
Protecting sensitive customer and utility data BY JOHN CHOWDHURY, Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. Smart meters, and the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) on which they depend, collect and transport vast amounts of data. While the data provides more precise energy billing, as well as...
Recent technological and economic events are poised to transform the electric utility industry. Described as “game changers” by industry thought-leaders, these “disruptive challenges” stem from a convergence of factors. 1 Distributed energy resources (DER) and demand-side management (DSM)...
How utilities can protect operations from penetration BY MICHAEL STUBER, Itron For utilities deploying Smart Grid solutions, the major security concern is often the field devices. Utilities and vendors have long understood that field devices such as meters, switches, routers, and concentrators...
A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has unanimously decided to shelve the proposed $1 billion Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) for power generators, concluding that it would not deliver the anticipated grid reliability benefits. The PCM was conceived as a means to incentivize power...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a proposal from PJM Interconnection, one of the United States' largest regional transmission organizations, to alter its transmission planning protocol. The decision represents a significant victory for state regulators who had expressed...
In a significant move that underscores the growing demand for reliable and sustainable energy to power the expanding digital infrastructure, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved an interconnection agreement between Talen Energy, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Exelon. This...
In a significant move for the renewable energy landscape, RWE, a leading global energy company, has announced the addition of 450 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage capacity in Texas. This expansion underscores the growing importance of energy storage solutions in enhancing grid reliability...
In a landscape characterized by evolving energy demands and increasing pressure to transition to renewable sources, the Pathways Initiative is proposing a significant restructuring of power market oversight in the Western United States. This initiative seeks to create a regional organization that...
