Shared Knowledge and Collaborative Innovation
Elizabeth Cook is Vice President of Technical Strategy at Association of Edison Illuminating Companies.
The electric utility industry is undergoing a profound transformation, spurred by a variety of technological, regulatory, consumer-driven changes, and the economic necessity of upgrading aging infrastructures. Smart grid technologies that enhance transmission and distribution efficiency through real-time monitoring and management are an essential requirement for utilities to enable this transformation.
These technologies are vital for accommodating the dynamic demands of smart thermostats, electric vehicle charging, increasingly more efficient heating and cooling services, large commercial loads from data centers and fleet charging, and the intermittent nature of energy sources like solar and wind.
Regulatory changes are a key factor of the current landscape, as governments and community members require emissions standards and set mandates for new available energy resources. New regulations are pushing utilities to adapt their operations and investment strategies to meet new standards, often accompanied by financial incentives for compliance and penalties for shortcomings.