Fit for 55 in Milan

Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. Thus spoke the EU Commission and I don’t think many people around the world would argue against this statement. After all, we have the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement to prove how seriously the world is taking climate change. At least in public…

In Europe, we have the Green Deal to pride ourselves on and to worry about Why worry? I believe that the current energy prices and fuel shortages – you hear about it daily on the news, no need for me to focus on the details – are a huge red flag for us all. Because we may preach on the value of more renewable energy sources in order to fight climate change, but do we have them? And do we have the infrastructure needed, in order to integrate them into the smart grid?

Well, these are only a couple of the questions that this year’s Enlit Europe will attempt to unpack. This issue you are holding, the last for 2021, is dedicated both to the Green Deal and the first Enlit Europe event since the pandemic started. From 30 November until 2 December, energy experts are going to meet in Milan, finally face-to-face, and discuss both the success stories and the problems of the energy sector.

In the build-up to these meetings, check out our cover story, dedicated to some of the leaders of the energy sector that are ‘Fit for 55’. We have identified 55 people that are working hard and are important contributors, not only to the Green Deal goals, but in the worldwide fight against climate change too.

I highly recommend nobilegroup CEO Peter Gönitzer’s article on the financial side of the Green Deal, which will help you get a holistic view of the situation. After all, as Peter writes, ‘sustainability is becoming more and more a decisive factor, when it comes to investment decisions’. As it should, I would add.

Moreover, our COP26 article and the predictions for 2022, will help you ‘ imagine’ what is to come in the near future for the energy sector.

Don’t miss the articles on cybersecurity and interoperability, as they succeed in highlighting two very important topics for the energy sector. And of course, our supplement, the Guide, which includes a plethora of articles ranging from hydrogen and natural gas, to biomass and the making of a smart building.

My personal favourite, however, is the interview of Chris Peeters, CEO of Elia Group, with Pamela Largue. Through the exemplar profiling of the TSO from Belgium, we get the highlights of an entire sector, for the months to come.

Months that, if energy prices continue to climb and countries continue to experience fuel shortages, are going to be tough for the energy sector and us all. But at least we are going to meet in person, in Milan, at the end of November.

I, for one, cannot wait. What about you? #AreYouEnlit

Cheers,
Areti Ntaradimou
Editor – Smart Energy International

editorial@smart-energy.com

In preparation for Enlit Europe, taking place from November 30 to 2 December in Milan, we use this issue of The Guide to examine some of the key talking points around Europe’s Green Recovery: the need for greater energy efficiency; the growing importance of sector coupling; and will a Green Recovery also equal a Just Transition?

We also explore some of the latest innovations in power generation, storage, digitalisation and hydrogen – areas that will play a key role in delivering the ambitions of both COP26 leaders and the EU.

Read previous editions of The Guide

We can’t wait to see you in Milan

Enlit Europe will bring the energy community together during the live event in Milan (30 November – 2 December 2021). Register here

Hydrogen to the rescue?

Green hydrogen was supposed to be the key energy protagonist of the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which finally took place from the 23rd of July until the 8th of August 2021. And in a way it was. Just not at the scale originally envisaged by the organisers.

Initially, Japan was planning to use hydrogen for multiple different use cases: from powering the Olympic village, to moving the athletes around in hydrogen-powered buses, to fuelling the Olympic cauldrons and the various ceremonial torches that were strategically placed around Japan, to many more.

But in the end, the parts of the plan that actually materialised were the use of green hydrogen to power the two cauldrons, some (not all) of the torches, a part of the village and the approximately 500 fuel-cell cars supplied by the sponsor Toyota, used to move officials around the premises.

Would you consider this to be a failure? I wouldn’t. The Japanese organisers did the best they could and it should be considered good enough. I would consider it, however, as proof of how demanding and expensive it is to generate, integrate into the (existing) power grid and distribute green hydrogen. It is definitely not child’s play.

Inspired by the Olympics, we give in this issue extra attention to the Asian continent, as well as to the talk of the town when it comes to the future of power. That would be hydrogen, in case you are wondering.

In the pages that follow you can read all about hydrogen and the ways that it might change our lives, but also, the issues that it brings to the sector. I highly recommend the article “Catching hydrogen’s next big wave” by François Le Scornet. It is an interesting, new take on the challenging but promising deployment of hydrogen-based solutions in the maritime sector.

In addition, Russell Edson’s “Freight transportation: on the cusp of a hydrogen-powered future” discusses the ‘battle’ between hydrogen and battery electric power, and the winning party might just not be the one you’d think. For more on this topic, make sure to give IRENA’s contribution about e-mobility a read.

But it’s not all about hydrogen in this issue. Nexans’ Bram Alkema shares how digital twins can enhance asset management for DSOs and Professor Darren McCauley describes his vision for a just transition.

One of my favourite articles from this issue features Shalu Agrawal, Senior Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) in India. In our ‘Women in Energy’ series, she speaks about India’s power sector, the gains made in household electrification over the last 20 years, and the challenges and impact of the pandemic. A very engaging interview that I recommend to everybody, but especially to young women dreaming of working in the sector. You can learn more about India’s energy transition in our special supplement.

And from dreams, back to reality. While you read this issue, the seasons will start changing again. For our readers in the northern hemisphere, the summer will soon transform more or less into a (distant) memory and the prospect of a ‘normal’ autumn will open little by little. Hopefully. In the southern hemisphere, may spring bring new hope and inspiration.

However, regardless of where you are based, don’t forget to keep up with the Smart Energy International website for news, webinars and podcasts. I hope to see you there, and – of course – at Enlit Europe 2021 in Milan.

Cheers,
Areti Ntaradimou
Editor – Smart Energy International

editorial@smart-energy.com

Read about the latest developments in India’s energy transition in this special supplement.

In partnership with POWERGEN India and Indian Utility Week.

Board the DeLorean for a voyage through time

Mr Fusion Home Energy Reactor converts household waste to power. I am sure that the “Back to the Future” fans understand the reference… For the uninitiated, let me explain that the reactor is what fuelled the DeLorean and allowed the main characters – “Doc” and Marty McFly – to time travel. And according to an old IEA article I recently read, the concept is not entirely far-fetched. In fact, as author of the article Laszlo Varro comments, “the process to power a fuel cell from hydrogen produced by methane from garbage is relatively straightforward for today’s biogas plants”. True story!

In other words, two Hollywood screenwriters, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale managed to sort of predict our energy future. Or at least part of it. And although it was not the first time writers successfully predicted the future – let me remind you of the entire opus of Jules Verne – it is still remarkable. And thought provoking… If they could, then, how would energy experts cope with the same challenge? Would they be able to predict as successfully as the two American writers, the future of the energy sector?

To celebrate the 25th birthday of Smart Energy International, which by a funny ‘cosmic’ coincidence also marks my first contribution as editor (picking up the baton from the wonderful Claire Volkwyn), we asked experts to look into energy’s crystal ball for us. And while you read about the future of the sector, you will realise the slight but strategic changes that are already happening in the present of the magazine and will solidify in the near future. A magazine written by experts not only for experts, but also for all those interested in the future of the energy sector. With an issue per year dedicated to each region and Europe, as the leaders of the energy transition conversation – the common thread throughout. And a clear message: Green is the new Black! At least for the energy sector as we dream it.

As for what to read first? I highly recommend the celebratory glimpse of the past of the magazine, through its sometimes hilarious, yet always relevant, covers. This short trip down memory lane will also remind you of the most important milestones of the past 25 years of the energy sector. But this issue is not only about the past or the future. We do have the present to think of too. Metering infrastructure and AI, as well as smart metering and grid resilience in emerging markets, are on the menu. An article definitely worthy of your attention is IRENA’s first contribution to our magazine, which focuses on the rising energy usage from cryptocurrency mining. IRENA’s Sean Ratka and Francisco Boshell successfully address the pachyderm in the room in this exceptional article.

One of my favourite articles focuses on cybersecurity. ESMIG’s Francis D’Souza explains how important the smart grid is in our effort to tackle climate change. As he writes, “the impact of climate change triggered by greenhouse gas emissions has never been more evident”. And in addition, he also explains how important cybersecurity is for the proper functioning of the smart grid. So, get on board our DeLorean and enjoy a trip to the past, the present and the future with us and our guest writers. And to paraphrase “Doc’s” wise words: “Our future is whatever we make it, so let’s make it a good one”. Starting with the energy sector.

Cheers,
Areti Ntaradimou
Editor – Smart Energy International

editorial@smart-energy.com

To celebrate Smart Energy International‘s 25th anniversary, we are taking a trip down memory lane. We unpack some of the most important milestones of the past 25 years of the energy sector, complete with some blast-from-the-past magazine covers.

At the same time, we look into the future and wonder what innovations will change the industry in the decades to come. Our supplement partner, Itron, is also well qualified to comment on what the future holds for utilities, as their senior leadership’s insights for the road ahead come with the weight of a long history of innovation.

Don’t forget to also read up about SEPA’s research on North American utilities embracing transformation, as well as Eric Woods’ analysis of the smart city of the future.

Groundhog Day and Goodbye

For those of you who feel like perhaps you are stuck in the movie Groundhog Day – welcome to 2021.

It seems strange that so much has changed – and yet, we are still working from home, masking up and wondering how much worse the pandemic could become. Yet, there are bright spots in the sameness of every day too.

The United States has sworn in its 46th President and we explore what this means for both domestic and international energy policy. It is unclear whether the United States has sufficient international goodwill to come back onto the energy landscape and resume its leadership position.

While there may have been much development domestically, internationally the European Union and China have taken the lead when it comes to the energy transition and a move to net-zero economies. While there is no doubt that optimism surrounds the election and inauguration of a new president, four years of looking inward has meant being left behind.

It’s not all politics though! Our roundup of features this edition covers the full spectrum from storage use cases, to how IoT is being used to optimise the operations of smart buildings and distributed renewable energy resources and the transition to the cloud and what this means from a cybersecurity perspective.

One of my favourite stories in this edition is on powering a Moon Village. This appeals to me on so many levels, although given that I love being ‘on earth’ this may be one that I experience vicariously instead of ‘in person’ There’s a lot more to enjoy – our first Women in Energy interview, a roundup of start-up culture in the US and some input as to what the energy transition is likely to really cost Europe. I hope you get to enjoy each and every one of the offerings in this edition.

This is, I am sad to say, my last edition as Editor of Smart Energy International. It has been my honour to work on this publication on and off during my 20-year tenure with Clarion, taking on the position of editor full-time in 2013.

Although I will be transitioning out of my role as editor of Smart Energy International, I’m not going far, as I will continue on as the Head of Content for our Enlit Africa conference.

To all of our readers and partners, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for the many years of support, feedback and – especially – challenges to my opinion.

While this is the end of a chapter for me, the journey for the growing Smart Energy International team continues and I encourage you to be an active part of that experience.

From me, however, thank you for being part of my smart energy journey. It has been an honour and a privilege.

For the final time,

Claire Volkwyn

Editor, Smart Energy International
editorial@smart-energy.com

For the special supplement of the first edition of Smart Energy International, 2021, we partnered with DISTRIBUTECH International.

The face-to-face DISTRIBUTECH International and POWERGEN International events are planned for January 2022. In the meantime, online events offer educational sessions and one-on-one meetings.

We worked together to cover some of the digital events, focussing on storage and cybersecurity. We also used the opportunity to speak to start-ups that are finding their feet in the US energy market.

We also had the opportunity to speak to Paul Browning, president and chief executive of Mitsubishi Power Americas, who is leading his team to develop technologies for energy storage and power generation that will enable the next phase of power sector decarbonisation.

Next year in Milan…

If this year had ‘gone to plan’ we would be packing our bags in a fever of excitement and preparing for this year’s Enlit Europe. The enticing sights, sounds and flavours of Milan would be beckoning and diaries would be filling up with appointments and opportunities to meet up with friends and colleagues – both old and new.

Yet, if there is one thing that can be said about this year, it’s that nothing has quite worked out the way we thought it would. Personally, professionally, emotionally and financially, this year has been… unexpected. But there is much to be learned from the unexpected and this year has taught and demonstrated resilience in the face of uncertainty and a renewed impetus to further the digitalisation journey of the utility sector.

Our special Enlit Europe section includes commentary by a legion of industry luminaries, such as James Watson, secretary general of Eurogas, who examines the role of gas companies in achieving climate neutrality post-COVID. Peter Styles, executive vice chair of the board of the European Federation of Energy Traders, on the other hand, examines the role the wholesale power market will play in matching supply and demand and assisting local, regional and European security of supply requirements. He’s joined by Paddy Young, event director for Enlit Europe who talks collaboration, innovation and inspiration.

Young shares the Enlit vision – “to be more than a single event…to create a continually evolving online resource and community platform that is available 365 days a year.”

As usual, our Editor-in-Chief Kelvin Ross asks a ‘what if…’ question. He addresses the topic of innovation, asking ‘What if we accelerated energy innovation?” It’s a good question and one that has provided a number of responses. From: “In many countries the power sector is still too protectionist of the status quo and governments protect obsolete technologies,” to: “We are undergoing a paradigm shift” and a caution that innovation cannot occur at the expense of consumer data and privacy.

With innovation comes a need for new skills and Roberto Zangrandi, secretary-general of EDSO shares his views with Nigel Blackaby on an inclusive transition that includes reskilling the utility workforce. Speaking of transitions: the energy transition and the concept of a ‘just’ transition is the focus of our story on page 14. The concept of a just transition is not a new concept, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the rising inequalities for low-income consumers. Access to clean energy should not be restricted to those that can afford it – and this is a message reiterated by Kadri Simson, energy commissioner at the European Commission. Simson says: “By investing in future-oriented sectors such as clean energy, efficiency and circular economy we’re building a more sustainable resilient economy but equipped to face future shocks and we must commit to doing this by putting households and ultimately each and every one of our citizens first.”

It’s a powerful message.

There are multiple other focus areas – from Brexit to COP26 to data integration.

Despite the fact that you are not reading this in Milan, we have brought a collection of European content to you, curated in collaboration with the team from Enlit Europe and covering some of the key topics and discussion points that are top of mind. The team is focusing on providing you with all the insights you need via our various digital channels until we do get to meet up again next year. You can keep up to date by visiting our website or www.enlit.world for more information around the digital programme.

This is, surprisingly, the last edition of the year – and I’m sure many of you are happy to see the back of 2020. It has been trying, unbelievable, terrifying, heart-breaking and a little surreal. We’d like to take this opportunity therefore to wish you a safe end to 2020 and hope that 2021 will be exhilarating, prosperous, healthy and ‘normal’ [whatever that may be].

On behalf of the whole team.

Claire Volkwyn

Editor – Smart Energy International
editorial@smart-energy.com

For the special supplement of the fifth edition of Smart Energy International, we partnered with Enlit Europe.

Together, we explored how Europe is navigating the energy transition in a post-COVID-19 world.

The special supplement includes commentary by a legion of industry luminaries, such as James Watson, secretary-general of Eurogas, who examines the role of gas companies in achieving climate neutrality post-COVID. Peter Styles, executive vice-chair of the board of the European Federation of Energy Traders, on the other hand, examines the role the wholesale power market will play in matching supply and demand and assisting local, regional and European security of supply requirements. He’s joined by Paddy Young, event director for Enlit Europe who talks collaboration, innovation and inspiration.

Young shares the Enlit vision – “to be more than a single event…to create a continually evolving online resource and community platform that is available 365 days a year.”

As usual, our Editor-in-Chief Kelvin Ross asks a ‘what if…’ question. He addresses the topic of innovation, asking ‘What if we accelerated energy innovation?” It’s a good question and one that has provided a number of responses.

With innovation comes a need for new skills and Roberto Zangrandi, secretary-general of EDSO shares his views with Nigel Blackaby on an inclusive transition that includes reskilling the utility workforce.

Enlit Europe will gather in Milan between 30 November and 02 December 2021 and will feature innovative companies accelerating decarbonisation at Europe’s largest gathering of companies driving and leading the energy transition. Are you going to be there?
Click here to join us in Milan.

WHAT IF…?

If ever there was a phrase that has launched a thousand ideas, it would have to be: What if…?

It conjures up visions of rocket ships and time travel, princesses and dragons, or in the case of our cover story – the role the consumer could potentially play in the energy transformation.

And it’s a powerful question. Speaking to a selection of industry leaders, our editor-in-chief Kelvin Ross asked the question – and received some amazing insights into the potential. Energy would be “cleaner and cheaper” was one response, another that “consumers would be free from the still excessive influence coming from large, often state-controlled companies, that still base their revenues largely on centralised and fossil fuel generation.”

Our regional focus for this edition is Asia and we have explored how the energy transition in that region is being influenced by national and regional policy; and also how the current COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the speed of the transition.

Speaking of which: Governments around the world have announced billions and billions of dollars, euro, yen, baht, rand, shillings, rupiah, pesos and dirham to not only kick-start our fl agging economies, but also encourage continued investment into the energy transition. We consider some of the various stimulus packages available.

The impact of the pandemic isn’t just being seen in stimulus packages, but also delays in the rollout of projects around the world. We ask what the impact on the rollout of smart meters in Great Britain will be and how countries in Latin America have responded to the crisis and the potential opportunities.

Policy discussion is continued in our coverage of the energy elements of the race for the White House, which promises to be hotly contested with the roles of energy and jobs becoming highly politicised as we get closer to November 2020.

For those of you whose interests run the gamut of the power and utility sector, there is a whole section of Power Engineering International which provides the latest news on power generation around the world.

This edition has a strong hydrogen focus, exploring its use in Europe and Asia and the challenges of building a global hydrogen sector. Also, be sure to read the Indonesian geothermal coverage.

For many of our readers, the current, slightly surreal state of the world has meant more work and a complete blurring of the lines between ‘at work’ and ‘at home’. As the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere begin, we hope that you will take the time to put your feet up and have a bit of a break. Read a good book… read Smart Energy International… or listen to one of our podcasts… and come back invigorated and ready to continue driving and leading the transition of our sector.

Until next time!

Claire Volkwyn
Editor – Smart Energy International
editorial@smart-energy.com

PS: As mentioned, we have produced a number of podcasts which have been well received by the industry. Thus far topics have covered the response by the utility sector to the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift to the new normal plus a retrospective on the sector over the past decade. Be sure to check in regularly for new episodes.

Asia is the regional focus of our special supplement in the fourth edition of Smart Energy International.

We have explored how the energy transition in that region is being influenced by national and regional policies; and also how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the speed of the transition.

At the same time, we highlight the developments in the energy portfolios of individual countries. For example Thailand and Vietnam.

We also pay special attention to Indonesia, which will be hosting the 2021 edition of Enlit Asia, the new unifying brand for POWERGEN Asia and Asian UtilityWeek. Between 23-25 March 2020, Enlit Asia will unite all the players in the energy sector to seize the opportunity, highlight the future, and inspire a new generation to participate in the journey.

The energy transition is a hot topic disrupting the utility industry in Asia and will be a key focus at Enlit Asia which takes place in Jakarta, Indonesia from 23-25 March. For more details click here.

CELEBRATING THE ENERGY SECTOR’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19

This is the second Smart Energy International produced while the world has been at various stages of national lockdowns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The energy sector has undergone a massive shift in operations over a the space of a few months and has come out of what we hope is the worst of it with shining colours. The swift and seamless shift from all onsite to almost all remote-working has been astonishing. This includes prioritisation of customer and employee health and a focus on excellence at all times during one of the most challenging times in living memory.

We cover the response of the industry to the pandemic in a special Spotlight which showcases amazing examples of utilities from around the world. Many of them are already shifting their thinking to what happens next and how the new normal will impact their operations, finances and customers.

We hosted a webinar series early in May in which we spoke with a number of authorities from Asia, Europe, the US and Africa to understand the new dynamics. We have distilled some of their input in the following articles: The utility response to COVID-19
The operational impacts of C-19

We have also considered responses from the European Union to recovery stimulus and considered what the post-Covid utility sector challenges and opportunities will be.

However, despite the massive impact on lives around the world, this is not a COVID-19 dedicated edition. There is so much else going on in the world of smart energy to fill the pages of this publication. For instance, we consider the role of artificial intelligence in revenue intelligence, examine a framework for microgrid implementation and get to grips with the importance of understanding resilience.

In our cover story, our Editor-in-Chief Kelvin Ross asks: “What if more convergence could accelerate the energy transition?” It’s an interesting proposition that discusses how such convergence could be accelerated to increase the speed at which the transition takes place.

There is so much more to enjoy – breakthrough technologies, considerations for utility reform in Africa, and of course, a whole section of Power Engineering International focussed on nuclear fusion, tidal power and renewable energy.

There’s something for everyone in this edition and we hope you will enjoy reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together for you.

As lockdown restrictions around the world ease, we wish you and yours continued health and prosperity.

Until next time!

Claire Volkwyn
Editor – Smart Energy International

What are the financial implications of the pandemic on projects in construction? And how is technology enabling them to continue operations and ensure reliability of service?

We spoke to representatives from utilities around the world and asked them what coping mechanisms have been put in place to make sure the needs of employees and customers remain served.

As I write this, the world is in lockdown and I – along with most of the Smart Energy International team – am working from home. It has been heartening to see the positive steps taken by multiple utilities around the world to reduce the stress on consumers by allaying fears of cut-off due to lack of payment, while reassuring them that services will continue unabated. I’d like too, to acknowledge the #HeartForTheSector initiative of my amazing colleagues at Enlit Europe.

Their message says it all!

This approach ties in with the articles on pages 52 and 54 in which we examine the changing expectations of consumers and the responses from utilities. To this end, many are adopting cloud-based technologies or embracing software-as-a-service offerings in order to more rapidly deploy services and offerings to customers at scale.

But it’s not just by way of providing customer apps and new services that utilities are ensuring they are providing a flawless service for their customers. This is particularly evident in our interview with Chintamani Chitnis, Head of Grid Operations, Power System Control Centre (PSCC) in Mumbai (page 38). During an interview, he shared the efforts being undertaken by utilities in parts of India to address the challenge of power quality. Chitnis, who is speaking at the upcoming Indian Utility Week, is one of many interviewees that provide insight into that country as part of our Spotlight on India feature (page 36).

India is, however, not the only spotlight – we shine that on Africa too and share news and perspectives on the adoption of electric vehicles in South Africa (page 30), the ongoing implementation of AMI across the continent (page 32) and a more general overview of the power sector across sub-Saharan Africa (page 28).

There is so much more to sink your teeth into! Smart cities across the globe are taking shape in unprecedented ways, and here we particularly examine the developments in Japan and Korea (page 16). What is particularly interesting about these examples is that they are being driven by private sector companies Toyota and Samsung. Toyota’s ‘Woven City’ and Samsung’s ‘Age of Experience’ concepts offer a holistic opportunity for integrating technology, autonomous vehicles, artifi cial intelligence and sustainability into a cityscape. Samsung Consumer Electronics president and CEO HS Kim said this was an opportunity to seamlessly combine hardware and software to create personalised experiences to transform how we care for ourselves and our family, how we can customize our homes to meet our individual needs, and how we can build safer, more sustainable intelligent cities.

This will additionally be facilitated by communication technologies and we explore that in some depth in the articles on pages 19 and 24.

Don’t forget, lastly, to read the wonderful selection of articles from our sister publication, Power Engineering International. Kelvin Ross, who has taken the reins as Editor in Chief of our International brands, is working closely with the teams to ensure a continuation of the excellence of information and insights that you have come to expect – while continuing to refl ect the evolving energy sector globally.

As always, we welcome your comments, responses and news stories and encourage you to continue reaching out to us during this particularly challenging time for the industry and our world.

Be well and keep yourselves safe.

Claire Volkwyn Editor – Smart Energy International
editorial@smart-energy.com

WELCOME TO THE BEGINNING OF A NEW DECADE

Ah! The beginning of a new year! A clean slate, fresh outlook and a crisp diary full of empty pages. Days just waiting to be fi lled with opportunities, meetings, collaborations and the chance to learn something new every day for another 366 days.

That is especially true for those of you reading this edition of Smart Energy International. Welcome to 2020 and our DISTRIBUTECH 2020 edition.

This year, the DISTRIBUTECH team will be showcasing the wonderful city of San Antonio, Texas as they welcome delegates, speakers and other leading industry stakeholders to the premier utility distribution event in North America. We are pleased to provide you with some deeper insight into some of the personalities that will be front and centre during the event. Particularly, the keynote speaker, Paula Gold-Williams, CEO of CPS Energy and a recognised leader in the utility sector. GoldWilliams shared her leadership ethic with Smart Energy International and you can read more about the woman and the utility on pages 36 and 56 of this edition.

But that’s not all. This edition is full of ’not to miss’ titbits from DISTRIBUTECH – such as a new perspective on distribution system planning (page 40), insights into consumer behaviour and customer-centricity (page 52) and a serious question around the complications of grid modernisation (page 38).

We throw the spotlight on cybersecurity for both power and water utilities, including interviews with EPRI (page 58) and Sempra Energy (page 60) and give consideration to how the utility sector can best protect itself from cyberattacks (page 62). Our article on blockchain for cybersecurity may be an answer (page 64). We examine the question of security for water utilities too (page 66).

Last, but certainly not least, we shine on a light on one of the newest considerations: disruption! – disruption! You can get some perspectives on disruption – the good and the challenging – from page 14. We look forward to sharing insights, news and perspectives with you this year and invite you to reach out to us should you have any comments, thoughts or complaints. We’d love to hear from you.

Wishing you all a truly successful 2020.

Claire Volkwyn
Editor – Smart Energy International editorial@smart-energy.com

Data is the new water. It’s everywhere, floods of the stuff: but it is only any good if you know which information has value and which is just a puddle of data. Then you need to collect it, filter it and ‘bottle’ it. And then can it be used to slake our thirst for innovation.

With so much new and exciting in the energy delivery space, DISTRIBUTECH is a must-attend for anyone who works with energy on the distribution side of the grid. Here’s a quick look at what to expect in San Antonio this year

like the box of chocolates in the legendary film Forrest Gump. While it is a mixed bag, you can be sure they are all amazing and that there is something here for every appetite.

The majority of our edition is dedicated to all things European Utility Week. And what a Utility Week it promises to be! Held in the beautiful city of Paris, this year’s event is [Also often chock-full] of innovation, young talent, projects galore, utility insights and so much more! And we are showcasing some of these projects, people or organisations in this edition of Smart Energy International.

Let’s start with some of the projects which make up the EU project zone on the exhibition floor. We interviewed a number of the project coordinators and have included some of their projects here for your edification. See pages 28, 37 and 67 for a small snapshot of what you can expect to see on the expo floor. We include interviews with the leaders of some of the leading utilities in France – GRDF (page 16), Enedis (page 46), and RTE (page 52). Here senior members of each organisation’s leadership teams spoke to us about their plans for the future, the things that keep them up at night and some of their achievements of the past 18 months. Each of these utilities represents a step forward in the energy transition of Europe, a spirit of ingenuity and the ongoing efforts to decarbonise our energy sectors globally.

There’s more: we search for the holy grail of engagement – real insight into what consumers really want – and spoke with a number of industry leaders to gain their perspectives. Among them, we have an article by Oliver Disney entitled Why customers should drive your digital transformation (page 74) and Billing and customer engagement (page 98), in which we ask whether consumer age is an impediment to a meaningful relationship with your customers.

A key theme in this year’s European Utility Week is that of sector coupling and we spoke with Christoph Riechmann, Frontier Economics (page 18) to understand how this concept is going to bring new synergies to the energy sector as we see an increased convergence between different elements of the energy spectrum.

Our special report in this edition covers the ongoing importance of data in the utility space, and examines how data will continue to be foundational in the cities of the future (page 104) if we can get the most challenging part of our data journey correct – that is, the concept of data democratisation and data sharing (see pages 106 and 108).

There is, of course, much, much more … metering infrastructure (page 118) and communication architectures (page 119), AI in energy (page 90) and an option on the blockchain (page 70). I also want to share, for me and for my colleagues, one of the most exciting pieces of news. From this edition, we will be featuring print elements of Power Engineering International inside the Smart Energy International magazine. The synergies between the two publications are obvious and will bring a wider scope of interesting content to our key utility audiences, while continuing to remain true to our focus areas. I am looking forward to working with Kelvin Ross, Editor of Power Engineering International, as we continue exploring the parallels between our respective brands.

This is, of course, the final edition of 2019. It’s been a year of ups and downs, trade talks and trade stalemates, massive growth across many sectors and a particular elevation of the role of climate change in our lives and our sector. It has been a busy year, but it’s been an incredible one! I hope you have enjoyed 2019 and reading Smart Energy International as much as my team and I have enjoyed sharing the news with you. We look forward to a 2020 in which we start the first year of a new decade off with a bang! Of course, if you are at European Utility Week please come and see us at the Clarion Energy News studio – we’d love to meet our readers, and get some insights into what you want us to cover next year.

Wishing you a wonderful remainder of your 2019

Claire

European Utility Week and POWERGEN Europe, the three day event that spotlights every part of the energy ecosystem, is in Paris!

The extensive and diverse three-day Summit programme will deep dive into the trends and future direction of each aspect of the sector – from generation to grid to end-users.

From this edition, we will be featuring print elements of Power Engineering International inside the Smart Energy International magazine. The synergies between the two publications are obvious and will bring a wider scope of interesting content to our key utility audiences, while continuing to remain true to our focus areas. 

Our special report in this edition covers the ongoing importance of data in the utility space, and examines how data will continue to be foundational in the cities of the future if we can get the most challenging part of our data journey correct.

We talk about the position of small utilities with limited resources, the role of information management systems and why collaboration is the key to success.

We also look at cybersecurity in DERs with the perspective that DERs pose new and unique challenges for utilities. This is primarily because while DERs connect to electricity grid operators, they may not always be owned by these operators or support the necessary security features. Consequently, they could post a significant risk and directly impact power systems.

Reimagined business models, changing customer expectations, ageing infrastructure and integrating new and rapidly evolving technologies – the challenges facing utilities and cities are daunting. Addressing these challenges today and tomorrow requires working together.

Itron Utility Week (IUW), the industry’s premier customer-focused event, will bring together industry leaders and innovators to share ideas, learn lessons and design the future for utilities and cities. Held this year in Marco Island, Florida, from 11 to 18 October, IUW will emphasise the power of community.

ARE WE IN AN UNDECLARED CYBER WAR?

In July this year, researchers announced that spear-phishing emails had been sent to three US utilities with the intention of embedding malware into the utility computer systems. According to researchers the emails impersonated communication from the US National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, claiming that the victim company had failed an exam.

Eliciting panic is a common technique used in phishing emails and is used in fake bank withdrawal emails, tax demands, and student loan complaints. The belief, and the result, is that if a target is frightened, they may be more likely to follow a phishing email’s instructions without thinking things through.

The email contained an attachment which used macros to introduce malicious code into the organisation’s system.

Japanese companies have already been targeted by the same malware and it would appear that US firms are next on the horizon. Perhaps the most concerning part is that there is evidence in the macros that the work is state-sponsored.

“We believe this may be the work of a state-sponsored APT actor based on overlaps with historical campaigns and macros utilised,” the researchers said. “The utilisation of this distinct delivery methodology coupled with unique … malware highlights the continuing threats posed by sophisticated adversaries to utilities systems and critical infrastructure providers.”

Why is this story part of my editor’s note? Because it is something that utilities and other critical infrastructure organisations are increasingly going to be faced with. How many of our readers have been the victim of some sort of cybercrime? I have – multiple times – in fact, as I write this I have just come back from my bank after having reported unauthorised purchases on my credit card. And not for the first time either! I consider myself fairly careful when it comes to access to my credit cards and most of the time, don’t even carry them with me. But I do shop online and the reality is that cyber criminals are smarter and far more numerous than any of us realise.

This is a long-winded route to introducing our special report on cybersecurity [pg 50] in which we consider some of the challenges faced by utilities – both big and small – when it comes to this topic. Specifically, we ask: Why are utilities lagging behind when it comes to cybersecurity?

Something for everybody

We also hear from utilities within the US that are harnessing smart metering technology to provide better, more detailed services and information to their customers [pgs 34-39]; and consider the dual roles of gas within the utility sector – from both perspectives as a metered service [pg 21] and as a generation fuel source [pg 67]. The state of the water sector in the US is the basis of our article on page 46, along with insights from smartEn, a Europeanbased association which promotes the digitally enabled interaction of demand and supply as an integral part of an increasingly decentralised, decarbonised energy system [pg 64]. Finally, our cover story focuses on mitigating the impacts of natural disasters by leveraging grid modernisation and industrial IoT [pg 6].

I trust you will find something among the numerous articles in this edition to enlighten and educate – and that you will keep your credit card somewhere very, very safe! Until next time!

Claire

The 2019 Power & Utilities Australia Conference and Exhibition, created with the co-location of several established power and utility events, focuses on strategies and solutions along the entire electric power supply chain – power generation, transmission & distribution and digital transformation.

The co-location of POWERGEN Asia, Asian Utility Week, DistribuTECH Asia, SolarVision and Energy Capital Leaders in 2019 provides you with one show covering the whole value chain of power and energy – from conventional and renewable generation to transmission and distribution; to its digital transformation and how the industry will finance the energy transition.

Challenging perceptions and exploring the future

I like having my perceptions challenged. I see it as a means of growing and learning and because I know I don’t know everything, it’s generally not too hard to keep an open enquiring mind.

This edition, my perception was challenged in a big way when I read the article on communications [pg 29] written by my colleague Nicholas Nhede, in which he discusses the developments happening in the Australian City of … Darwin. This small city, far away from the major developments of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, has been appointed to a strategic position in the GoSmart initiative, which includes cities such as Taipei and London. Not only that, but this little city was named one of the smart cities of 2019 and was the first Australian city to qualify for smart city funding. Darwin is boxing far about its weight category.

Our focuses in this edition have been many – Asia, Australia, innovation and new technology – and I have learned something new from each and every one of the articles featured.

From Malaysia’s Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s desire to be one of the top 10 companies in the world [pg 36] to why energy security is more of a consideration today than ever before [pg 21]; how artificial intelligence is the new frontier [pg 46], to how Xcel Energy in the United States plans on going carbon free by 2050 [pg 26].

In each of the articles, we hear from professionals dedicated to delivering the best outcomes for their customers, but never forgetting that climate obligations now make up a large portion of any utility’s future planning.

As the roles of consumers change and distributed energy resources become the new normal on our distribution grid, we ask what the technology of the future will be. We explore the changing dynamic of electric mobility [pg 68] and moves by countries around the world to reduce emissions through the removal of petrol and diesel vehicles. We explore what that means in terms of the road infrastructure and how smart highways could make range anxiety a thing of the past [pg 73]. The plans to increase the number of electric vehicles on our roads significantly raise questions about charging, demand response and peak usage and this, in turn, brings us to the question of vehicle to grid technology [pg 70].

Speaking of new technology – what role will augmented reality [pg 78] play in the development of our utility, power, water or gas sectors? How will it change the way we teach, learn and identify problems, work remotely and overcome the issue of, almost literally, being able to be in different places at the same time?

We live in a time of such exciting development and opportunity – come explore with us! Until next time!

Claire

Access the full special report here

China Utility Week offers a powerful portfolio of end-to-end T&D solutions as well as specific zones dedicated to innovation and start-ups, intelligent buildings and the energy revolution.

The year 2018 witnessed a milestone in the China energy storage market with the Chinese government approving the country’s first large battery storage pilot project that aims at maximising clean energy output to improve grid stability. Read our articles on battery storage and the National Development and Reform Commission’s Internet+ smart energy demonstration projects.

Also, we speak with Yuanfei Chen, director, Institute of Tianjin IoT Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, about the research being undertaken by the Academy and why communication is so vital to the success of the energy internet.