Podcasts | Smart Energy International

Energy Transitions Podcast: How IEC 61850 is revolutionizing the utility industry

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 08:41:36 +0000

In this episode of the Energy Transitions Podcast, we hear from industry experts at Nokia, Dominique Verhulst, Global Head of Utilities, and Hansen Chan, IP Networks Product Marketing, about how IEC 61850 is revolutionizing the utility industry.

Many utilities are integrating utility-scale and residential distributed energy resources (DERs) into their electric grids at an unprecedented pace.

Meanwhile, the time-division multiplexing (TDM) technology they use for communications in intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) such as relays and remote terminal units (RTUs) is approaching end-of-life. In response to these changes, more and more utilities are turning to IEC 61850 to introduce automation and digitalisation to their electric grids.

This episode of the Energy Transitions Podcast is brought to you by Nokia, a multinational B2B technology innovation leader in networking, powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, providing leading end-to-end grid communications and analytics solutions to meet the unique mission-critical needs of power and water utilities and renewable energy.

Don’t miss out on a special discount for our Energy Transitions Podcast listeners: To receive your 25% discount on an Enlit Europe Summit delegate pass, visit w ww.enlit-europe.com/registerpod and enter the podcast discount code provided in this episode on the payment page. We look forward to seeing you in Paris.

What to watch:
Recording: What’s driving utilities to embrace IEC 61850?

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Energy Transitions Podcast: Africa’s frontrunner in the SF6-free race

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:24:18 +0000

In this episode of the Energy Transitions Podcast, we hear from Leon Laing, Manager: Planning and Customer Services at the Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape, South Africa, on how the SF6-free transition is revolutionising how they manage and operate their power distribution system.

While South Africa is not yet regulating the shift to SF6-free switchgear, Laing is pre-empting this inevitable step and ensuring his municipal district is not only ahead of the curve, but setting the standard for sustainability.

Laing is responsible for the municipality’s electric planning and design where forward-thinking for assets of this cost and nature is critical. This forward-thinking has led to the Drakenstein Municipality being the first in Africa to install and operate Schneider Electric’s RM AirSeT switchgear with pure air technology and digital connectivity.

This episode is brought to you by Schneider Electric, a French multinational company specialising in digital automation and energy management. It addresses homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure, and industries, by combining energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services.

Previous Energy Transitions Podcast episodes:
Time to humanise energy
Sustainable strategies to decarbonise heating
The green promise of next-gen fuel cells

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Podcast: Optimising smart meter installations and project execution

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:55:28 +0000

In this episode of the Energy Transitions Podcast Series, experts from Networked Energy Services and Griffin Group take a close look at how to effectively optimise smart meter installations and project execution using various processes and tools.

Guest experts focus on how the features of a smart metering system can support two diverse but common use cases facing utilities – the optimisation of a smart metering deployment and outage recovery after an extreme weather event, with examples from a utility smart meter rollout in Poland and the restoration of power following hurricane damage in Puerto Rico.

Guests:

Jaroslaw Babs, Technical Account Manager | Griffin Group Energy
Szymon Konicz, Support Technical Account Manager | Networked Energy Services
Larry Colton, Director of International Business Development and Government Affairs | Networked Energy Services

This episode is brought to you by Networked Energy Services Corporation (NES), a global smart energy leader in the worldwide transformation of the electricity grid into an energy control network.

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Podcast: AMI – benefits & challenges of this technology for developing countries

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 13:11:46 +0000

In this episode of the Energy Transitions Podcast, our guests unpack the benefits and challenges of AMI for a developing country like India, which is going through a massive AMI rollout exercise for its 270 million electricity connections.

While there will be many benefits to the distribution companies from the adoption of AMI, there will be many unknowns and unforeseen challenges for all stakeholders, including system integrators, OEMs, utilities, government and consumers.

To shed light on this topic, Jonathan Spencer Jones speaks with three industry experts who discuss the benefits and challenges associated with AMI. This can vary depending on the maturity of a utility, which translates into the volume and frequency of how AMI will be used by the utility for its energy transition like DER, energy storage and EV.

This episode is brought to you by Networked Energy Services. Networked Energy Services Corporation (NES) is a global smart energy leader in the worldwide transformation of the electricity grid into an energy control network.

Guests:

Rishi Pratap Goyal – Assistant Vice President | BSES Rajdhani Power Limited
Sunil Mittal – Director of Business Development for the Indian Market | Networked Energy Services
Larry Colton – Director of International Business Development & Government Affairs | Networked Energy Services

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

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Energy Transitions Podcast: Energy Trading – how do you achieve maximum agility?

Tue, 31 May 2022 09:02:19 +0000

Britain’s biggest generator of zero-carbon electricity and an energy supplier to more than 3.5 million British homes and businesses, EDF UK recently announced a £50 billion ($63 billion) low carbon programme to help Britain achieve net-zero.

How do you achieve maximum agility when considering current extreme market conditions, price surges, and the increased importance of risk management for energy trading?

Energy Trading

In this episode, we connect with Mark Teuton, Senior Manager of Business Solutions at EDF UK the largest B2B energy retailer in the United Kingdom. Mark shares insight into EDF UK’s work and how agile energy trading plays a key role in supporting energy transition goals.

This episode is brought to you by Amazon Web Services, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform, offering over 200 fully-featured services from data centers globally.

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LISTEN TO OTHER ENERGY TRANSITIONS PODCASTS

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Energy Transitions Podcast: Poland – Race to 55

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 14:44:28 +0000

In the context of Fit for 55, we unpack Poland’s shift away from coal, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of this shift and the importance of ensuring a just transition.

Speakers:

Michal Motylewski, Managing Counsel, Dentons

Michal Motylewski, attorney-at-law, is a managing counsel in Dentons’ Warsaw office and a member of the Warsaw Energy and Natural Resources practice team. Micha? specializes in Energy Law and, in particular, in issues relating to the development of the EU’s internal market in electricity and gas and the implementation of power market reforms in Poland, including the current implementation of the Clean Energy for All Europeans package.

Joanna Maćkowiak-Pandera, President, Forum Energii

Founder and leader of Forum Energii – the first Polish energy transition think tank in Poland. She focuses on European energy and climate regulations, electricity markets, renewable energy sources. In the past, she worked at the Ministry of Environment, among others as Deputy Minister responsible for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Joanna is involved in global and EU climate negotiations. She has worked at Agora Energiewende, a German energy transition think tank and the Danish Oersted.

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Energy Transitions Podcast: The North Sea – Axis of decarbonisation

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:15:01 +0000

Nils Røkke, Executive Vice President Sustainability at SINTEF and Chair of EERA (European Energy Research Alliance) talks to Pamela Largue about why the North Sea is often referred to as the “energy Silicon Valley of Europe”.

Røkke highlights the great untapped potential of the area and the huge possibility to harvest renewables, while also developing clean energy technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, biomass and hydrogen.

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The EU Project Zone Podcast: ‘The Energy Switch’ with Peter Kelly-Detwiler

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:14:01 +0000

In his debut book The Energy Switch, leading energy expert Peter Kelly-Detwiler, is exploring the power grid’s transformation in the United States and around the world. In this episode of The EU Project Zone Podcast, Kelly-Detwiler explains to Enlit’s Areti Ntaradimou how energy companies and consumers are transforming the electrical grid and the future of power.

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Already in the first chapter of his book, Peter Kelly-Detwiler introduces quite a bold statement. He writes that the energy transition dwarfs the industrial revolution.

Why is that?

Because on one hand “the global organised economy is just that much larger” now and on the other, during the industrial revolution “there was no grand design or global goal the world was working towards”, as opposed to today. Climate change anyone?

Of course, the energy transition demands a grid evolution too. According to Detwiler, the grid 1.0 started with fossil fuels, then it evolved to 2.0 (approximately 30% to 40% renewables), it will evolve in the near future to 3.0 (60 – 70% renewables supported by storage and growing levels of distributed energy resources) and then finally get to 4.0 (long-duration storage, likely hydrogen).

“If you want to have a fully interactive efficient grid, you have to take a step back and think what kind of information and communication platforms do we need to invest into now, in order to enable the energy grid in – perhaps – ten years from now”.
Peter Kelly-Detwiler

Speaking of hydrogen, that’s a horse Detwiler would bet on at least for the last mile in the power grid and as the best tool for decarbonizing much of heavy industry, starting with steel.

And regarding storage, the transition from NMC to LFP is happening rather quickly because it’s both economically and morally important. In other words, LFP is 30% cheaper and in addition, cobalt mining is just unsavoury.

Moreover, on a surprisingly timely topic, the writer and energy expert describes the Ukraine hacking incident of 2015 and explains how vulnerable utilities still are to cyber-attacks. And guess what… now that AI is being employed by both sides, things get can get tricky in this ‘spy vs spy game’.

In the interview, he also notes that in order to reach our collective goals for the planet’s climate in 2030 and 2050, we need some bold political decisions. “We need to act more as if we love our children, grandchildren, and generations we will never meet,” he says.

Listen to the full discussion in the first episode of The EU Project Zone Podcast and find out also what the people that actively work in the industry really think about the sector and how they envision the future of the planet when it comes to energy.

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Energy Transitions Podcast: Hydrogen-fueled vehicles in the Dakar and beyond

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:11:11 +0000

The annual Dakar Rally is increasingly committed to a more responsible rally raid, focusing on the development of alternative engines and technological innovation.

Pamela Largue talks to Steve McEvoy, Automotive Lead at engineering and digital transformation consultancy Expleo about the development of cleaner vehicles powered by hydrogen for the Dakar Rally and discusses hydrogen’s potential in decarbonising the automotive industry at large.

Learn more about the hydrogen vehicle being designed by Expleo and racing expertise partner Faster or read about Expleo’s research on the use of hydrogen energy and its impact on the automotive sector.

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Episode #18: Cybersecurity and utilities – how to solve and prevent cyber attacks

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 07:43:15 +0000

As electricity systems around the world digitalise in order to transition to renewable energy sources, they become increasingly vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks. How do we address these cyber security vulnerabilities? Experts from Networked Energy Services (NES), OSGP Alliance and the Danish utility Cerius share their insights in this podcast episode.

Policymakers and utility operators are fighting a much-sophisticated battle in order to keep any potential threat far away from their systems and customers. Which are the most common threats and what is the new profile of your average cybercriminal? And more importantly, is your utility ready to prevent a cyberattack?

Our host, Smart Energy International editor and Enlit Europe content director, Areti Ntaradimou, speaks with:

Jon Wells | Chairman of the OSGP Alliance | Technical Committee

The OSGP is a global non-profit association dedicated to promoting the adoption of the Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP) and infrastructure for smart grid applications towards a future proof modern smart grid. Jon has 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, moving into the similar industry of smart grid a 5 years ago. Through this time, Jon was involved in helping telecommunications network operators align to the relevant O&M standards, including TeleManagement Forum (TMF) and IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). He can bring the experience of the telecommunications industry into the arena of smart grids, quickly drawing upon the parallels to assess opportunities for cost reduction, efficiency improvement and customer experience improvement through the application of standards and use this to develop relevant and practical business cases for DSOs. Jon has held director roles in technical consulting, business consulting, and business development and is currently VP of Customer Solutions for Networked Energy Services.

Emil Gurevitch | Senior Security Architect | Networked Energy Services (NES)

Emil is a member of the OSGP Alliance, the global non-profit association dedicated to the adoption of the Open Smart Grid Protocol. He helps promote, architect, and deploy secure smart grids. Emil has over 18 years of experience in identifying and remediating cybersecurity vulnerabilities in critical systems, most recently in power grids. Emil was Smart Grid Security Lead at a large utility in Europe, helped develop cryptographic security solutions at IBM, and holds an MSc in Computer Science specialising in Information Security. Today, he is Senior Security Architect at NES, where he helps develop secure Smart Grid products and threat detection solutions.

Bo Danielsen | Head of Metering and Installation | Cerius

Bo has been in the utility industry for the last 10 years working on the implementation and rollout of smart meters and relates headend and MDM systems. He has a technical background as a certified electrician and has been working in the industry for his entire 30 years career in different positions. He also holds a bachelor degree on the commercial and business side.

Today, Bo serves as Head of Meters and Installations at the Danish utility Cerius and is responsible for 1,4 million meters together with the customers’ support.

This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Networked Energy Services (NES).

More about cybersecurity

To learn more about defending the smart grid from cyber attacks in six steps, watch the below video and follow the link to find out more about software applications that can help you every step of the way.

For more details on securing the smart grid, make sure to also watch this webinar recording: Protect, Detect and Respond – securing the smart grid.

And read the following blogs from NES experts:

Listen also to:
#16: Leveraging AMI data to enhance grid situational awareness
#15: What will be the industry trends over the next 25 years?
#14: Milestones that changed the energy industry in the past 25 years
#7: The EU Clean Energy Package and the smart grid

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Episode #17: Marzia Zafar opts for an inclusive energy transition

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:11:23 +0000

“If we’re going to succeed in the energy transition, we have to bring every customer along with us,” says Marzia Zafar, Head of Strategy and Policy at Kaluza. In this podcast episode, she shares her opinion about how we can move the industry forward, together.

From the Southern California Gas Company to the World Energy Council and from there to Kaluza, Marzia Zafar seems to have a holistic view regarding what makes the energy sector tick. And with a strong attitude towards the environment, equality issues and the role of the consumer, she is a prominent voice in the current debates.

Listen to the conversation between our host, Areti Ntaradimou, and Marzia Zafar about the human condition in the energy transition.

Don’t forget to read more about Marzia Zafar in her ‘Women in Energy’ interview.

Guest:

Marzia Zafar | Head of Strategy and Policy | Kaluza

Host:

Areti Ntaradimou | Enlit Europe content director for data and editor Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#16: Leveraging AMI data to enhance grid situational awareness
#15: What will be the industry trends over the next 25 years?
#5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform the world

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Episode #16: Leveraging AMI data to enhance grid situational awareness

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 08:32:37 +0000

How could the use of AMI data assist in providing situational awareness to grid ops? Experts from OSIsoft and PowerRunner discuss this topic in detail in the latest podcast episode.

With more and more electric meters being replaced with smart meters on AMI, there is an increasingly big amount of data collected on a daily basis. One could call this a potential gold mine for utilities, but it is not easy to get operational value from the vast data collection. Data latency and the complexity of managing such a big data set are two issues that are holding utilities back from using the data insights to their full potential.

In this episode of the Smart Energy International podcast, our host Areti Ntaradimou speaks to Kevin Walsh (Industry Principal for Transmission and Distribution at OSIsoft, now part of AVEVA) and Dan Garvey (Director, Sales and Marketing at PowerRunner) about this issue and how their collaborative technology solution is providing situational awareness to grid operators.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with OSIsoft.

Guest:

Kevin Walsh | Industry Principal for Transmission and Distribution | OSIsoft, now part of AVEVA

Kevin Walsh is the Principal for Transmission and Distribution at OSIsoft. OSIsoft delivers the PI System, the industry standard in enterprise infrastructure, for the management of real-time data and events. Walsh is engaged mainly in Transmission/Distribution/Smart Grid and AMI areas. He has over 20 years of experience in the Utility space covering areas in Demand Side Management (DSM), Retail Operations; software supporting central markets, complex billing, Meter Data Management, and smart grid applications such as DER, Microgrids, and PMUs. He works with product management/development to support new functionality in his area of responsibility and field sales for applying the PI technology to assist in the new Utility challenges that many of them face. Kevin previously worked at SAP and AREVA T&D. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Dan Garvey | Director, Sales and Marketing | PowerRunner

Dan Garvey is PowerRunner’s Director of Sales and Marketing and leads the company’s direct sales and channel sales efforts and strategic partnerships with OSIsoft, NVIDIA and Dell. PowerRunner provides innovative, scalable and extendable software solutions that extract business value from disparate OT and IT data sources to support the growing complexities of Energy IoT. Dan has over 25 years of diverse energy industry experience beginning as an engineer with Boston Edison (Eversource) and US Navy, and then in business development roles with Southern Company Energy Marketing, Siemens and Oracle Utilities. His diverse experience, from the meter to power plant, supports the consultative approach that is necessary to deliver software solutions to utilities and other energy market participants. Dan graduated from Merrimack College with a BSEE.

Host:

Areti Ntaradimou | Editor Smart Energy International and Enlit Europe content director for data

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#15: What will be the industry trends over the next 25 years?
#14: Milestones that changed the energy industry in the past 25 years
#11: The SECC and the modern energy consumer
#4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future

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Episode #15: What will be the industry trends over the next 25 years?

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 09:27:03 +0000

The next quarter-century in the power and energy industry will be driven by global efforts to decarbonise the sector, powered by clean energy policies, new technologies and empowered consumers. What other innovations are on the horizon?

The evolution of the energy sector over the past 25 years has surpassed every expectation and today, energy forms a key pillar of political and social strategies in many of the world’s economies. And given the continuous development and advancement of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality, we can assume that the next 25 years are also going to surpass our wildest dreams.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Smart Energy International, we dedicate this episode of the Smart Energy International podcast to talks about the future. Together with Areti Ntaradimou (Enlit Europe content director for data) and Kevin O’Donovan (technology evangelist), our host Claire Volkwyn explores the expected trends and innovations.

Listen to part two of this two-part series focusing on milestones and future trends in the energy industry:

Did you miss part one? Listen here.

Guest:

Areti Ntaradimou | Enlit Europe content director for data

Kevin O’Donovan | Technology Evangelist

Host:

Claire Volkwyn

Music by NSAT

Want to read more about the industry milestones and the future?

Join us on a walk through the archives as we document the changes and milestones in the evolution of the smart energy sector over the past 25 years.

Part 1: 1996-2000
Part 2: 2001-2005
Part 3: 2006-2010
Part 4: 2011-2015
Part 5: 2016-2021

Don’t forget to also page through our special 25th-anniversary edition of the magazine and its special ‘Back to… the future’ supplement.

Listen also to:
#5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform the world
#2: How has the energy sector changed in the last 10 years? Reflections from close observers.
#12: Exploring Meters and More’s evolution

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Episode #14: Milestones that changed the energy industry in the past 25 years

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 09:19:00 +0000

This year, we celebrate the 25^th anniversary of Smart Energy International. Part of celebrating an important happening is taking a moment to reflect on the past. Therefore, our host Claire Volkwyn invited Areti Ntaradimou (Enlit Europe content director for data) and Kevin O’Donovan (technology evangelist) to discuss the important moments from the past 25 years in the energy sector in this episode of the Smart Energy International podcast.

Listen to part one of this two-part series focusing on milestones and future trends in the energy industry:

Listened to part one of this conversation? Don’t forget to tune in for part two.

Guest:

Areti Ntaradimou | Enlit Europe content director for data

Kevin O’Donovan | Technology Evangelist

Host:

Claire Volkwyn

Music by NSAT

Want to read more about the industry milestones?

Join us on a walk through the archives as we document the changes and milestones in the evolution of the smart energy sector over the past 25 years.

Part 1: 1996-2000
Part 2: 2001-2005
Part 3: 2006-2010
Part 4: 2011-2015
Part 5: 2016-2021

Don’t forget to also page through our special 25th-anniversary edition of the magazine and its special ‘Back to… the future’ supplement.

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Episode #13: How PRIME Hybrid is solving your grid communication challenges

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 15:16:04 +0000

How do you tackle the issue of last mile communication? Experts from the PRIME Alliance share their insights.

Power line communication (PLC) has long been considered the most suitable and natural technology to provide the needed telecoms performance, even in complex underground electricity grids.

But what do you do when it’s not?

In this episode of the Smart Energy International podcast, experts from the PRIME Alliance will be exploring the PRIME Hybrid solution that combines PLC and RF communication technology.

The Prime Alliance is an Alliance of technology manufacturers and utilities focussing on providing technology solutions for the smart grids utilising an open (license free), interoperable (certification), reliable (proven) communication protocol.

PRIME Alliance members Alfredo Sanz (Technical Fellow on Smart Energy Systems and software – Microchip Technology) and Asier Llano (R&D Manager – ZIV Automation) talk about this next step in the PRIME Alliance journey.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with PRIME Alliance.

Guest:

Alfredo Sanz | Technical Fellow on Smart Energy Systems | Microchip Technology

Asier Llano | R&D Manager | ZIV Automation PRIME Alliance journey.

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor | Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#10: The secret of reliable smart meter communication and standards
#11: The SECC and the modern energy consumer
#4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future

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Podcast episode #12: Exploring Meters and More’s evolution

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 11:50:00 +0000

In this episode, Claire Volkwyn speaks to Meters and More general manager, Carlo Maria Drago and Alessandro Lasciandare, technical expert and member of two of the Association’s working groups.

The conversation includes the evolution of the Meters and More standard, explores the reasons for the Association’s creation, the celebration of a major milestone and touches on the focus areas for 2021 and beyond.

Meters and More is a leading, open solution for smart metering and other applications used in completed and on-going rollouts. It is supported by over 40 leading member organizations. Worldwide, over 40 million smart meters are operated using Meters and More technology.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Meters and More.

Guest:

Carlo Maria Drago | Meters & More general manager | Meters and More

Alessandro Lasciandare | Technical expert and member of two of the Association’s working groups | Meters and More

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Also watch the video of the interview conducted with the Meters and More team below:

Related content from Meters & More:
The evolution of Meters & More
Meters & More: Communication with the end customer device

Also listen to:
#8: In pursuit of carbon neutrality
#5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform…
#3: What a ’new normal’ will look like for the…

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Podcast episode #11: The SECC and the modern energy consumer

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 08:02:00 +0000

Do you know what it is that your customers think about energy consumption, smart home technology, or your service?

In this episode, Patty Durand*, CEO of the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) answers questions about modern energy consumers following research launched late last year.

The SECC works to learn the wants and needs of energy consumers in North America, encourages the collaborative sharing of best practices in consumer engagement among industry stakeholders, and educates the public about the benefits of smart energy and energy technology.

Durand speaks to us about consumer engagement in general and specifically during this time of COVID-19.

Guest:

Patty Durand | CEO | Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative
*Since recording, Durand has stepped down as CEO after a decade-long tenure to open a consulting practice on consumer engagement for utilities.

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Also listen to:
The secret of reliable smart meter communication and standards
Cybersecurity risk management and supply chains
The EU Clean Energy Package and the smart…

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Podcast episode #10: The secret of reliable smart meter communication and standards

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:10:26 +0000

In this podcast episode, industry experts from the PRIME Alliance and Arkossa Smart Solutions discuss the secrets of reliable smart meter communication and the importance of industry standards.

Christos Aslanidis (Senior Principal Engineer at Renesas Electronics Europe and Board member PRIME Alliance) and Victor Dominguez (Chief Executive Officer, Arkossa Smart Solutions) talk about their experiences with the creation of industry standards and pushing the boundaries of smart meter communication.

The PRIME Alliance (PRIME = PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution) is focused on the development of a new open, public and non-proprietary telecom solution which will support not only smart metering functionalities but also progress towards the Smart Grid.

Power line communications is the most suitable and natural technology to provide the needed telecoms performance, even in complex underground electricity grids.

In this episode, we talk about the evolution to and from PRIME v1.4 and the improved reliability, robustness and frequency coverage that the new version delivers, as well as the interoperability brought to the table by PRIME+.

In order to keep communication channels operating at optimal levels, PRIME Hybrid provide a combination of standardised PLC & RF/IoT solutions to increase robustness – how will this increased flexibility work to power the cities of the future along with the water, gas and power utilities of tomorrow?

This episode is brought to you in partnership with PRIME Alliance.

Guests:

Christos Aslanidis | Senior Principal Engineer at Renesas Electronics Europe | Board member PRIME Alliance

Victor Dominguez | Chief Executive Officer | Arkossa Smart Solutions

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

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Podcast episode #9: Cybersecurity risk management and supply chains

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 09:45:27 +0000

In this podcast episode, we address the necessity of cybersecurity risk management, which is no longer just about protecting your operations.

Managing third-party vendor cyber risk is fast becoming the defining cybersecurity challenge of our time. The increase in the number of suppliers we engage with as the digitalisation of the energy sector progresses means that enterprise networks are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the vulnerabilities of those partners.

Put simply, the extended ecosystem is the threat.

Your host Claire Volkwyn speaks with Jim Penrose, former NSA senior leader and COO of New York City-based cybersecurity firm BlueVoyant. They discuss supply chain risk and its greater implications, the interdependence between organisations and how risk and cybersecurity risk management are interconnected.

Guest:

Jim Penrose | Chief Operations Officer | BlueVoyant

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#8: In pursuit of carbon neutrality
#7: The EU Clean Energy Package and the smart grid
#6: Accelerating smart metering with revolutionary IoT eSIM
#5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform the world
#4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future

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Podcast episode #8: In pursuit of carbon neutrality

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 11:59:29 +0000

In this podcast episode, we delve into the details of the latest World Energy Markets Observatory (WEMO), Capgemini’s annual thought leadership and research report that tracks the development and transformation of the energy markets around the world.

The 2020 edition of this report is like no other as it’s based on insights from 2019 and 2020, which turned out to be two very different scenarios due to the pandemic. The key question that the report asks is: How can the energy sector balance the competing priorities of addressing the immediate challenge related to COVID-19 pandemic, and taking drastic steps against climate change at the same time?

To answer this question, your host Claire Volkwyn is joined by experts and main contributors to the report, Philippe Vié, Energy & Utilities Sector Head at Capgemini, and Colette Lewiner, Senior Energy Advisor to the Capgemini Chairman.

Together, they discuss the implications of the pandemic on the energy markets and practical ideas for how utilities, policymakers and private companies can embrace a strategy that builds short-term resiliency while improving long-term sustainability.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Capgemini.

Download the 2020 edition of the World Energy Markets Observatory.

Guests:

Philippe Vié | Energy & Utilities Sector Head | Capgemini

Colette Lewiner | Senior Energy Advisor to Capgemini Chairman | Capgemini

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#7: The EU Clean Energy Package and the smart grid
#6: Accelerating smart metering with revolutionary IoT eSIM
#5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform the world
#4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future
#3: What a ’new normal’ will look like for the power sector

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Podcast episode #7: The EU Clean Energy Package and the smart grid

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 15:06:33 +0000

In this episode, our guest experts from the OSGP Alliance share their insights on how to implement the EU Clean Energy Package in the smart grid.

The EU Clean Energy Package is a key initiative in reducing the world’s reliance on fossil fuels and shape the strategy of European DSOs. The challenge is to invest in technology in the smart grid so that it becomes truly smart; providing the intelligence and capabilities that will be needed to drive towards the Clean Energy Package outcomes.

These outcomes include increased energy efficiency, a minimum 32% renewable energy in the energy mix, a robust governance system and a redesigned energy market among other things.

Claire Volkwyn, your host and editor of Smart Energy International, is joined by Mark Ossel, Board member, OSGP Alliance and Jon Wells, Chairman of the technical committee, OSGP Alliance to talk about how communication is vital to further these outcomes.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with the OSGP Alliance and Networked Energy Services (NES).

Guest:

Mark Ossel |Board member | OSGP Alliance

Jon Wells | Chairman of the technical committee | OSGP Alliance

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#6: Accelerating smart metering with revolutionary IoT eSIM
#5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform the world
#4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future
#3: What a ’new normal’ will look like for the power sector

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Podcast episode #6: Accelerating smart metering with revolutionary IoT eSIM

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 11:03:38 +0000

The demand for smart meters is expected to grow by more than $8.5 billion in five years. To reach this number of installations, smart meter vendors need to take advantage of the latest industry breakthroughs to ensure 24/7 reliable connectivity.

In this episode, Petri Ounila, Director of IoT Devices at Aidon and Francis D´Souza, VP Strategy & Marketing for Analytics and IoT Solutions at Thales discuss the latest industry breakthroughs in cellular connectivity. They focus on how cellular innovations simplify daily operations for smart meter vendors, grid managers and DSOs. Most importantly, they will also share their experience with the new, revolutionary IoT eSIM.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Thales and Aidon.

Guest:

Petri Ounila | Direct IoT Devices |Aidon

Francis D´Souza | VP Strategy & Marketing for Analytics and IoT Solutions | Thales

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform the world
#4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future
#3: What a ’new normal’ will look like for the power sector
#2: How has the energy sector changed in the last 10 years?

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Podcast episode #5: Simply Electrifying – How electricity continues to transform the world

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 08:32:21 +0000

In this episode, we speak to Dr Craig Roach, a well-known American energy expert, founder of Boston Pacific Company (Inc.) and author of the book Simply Electrifying: The Technology that Transformed the World, from Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk (Bella Books, 2017).

Simply Electrifying covers the history of electricity from the perspective of the individuals that influenced its development and the amazing minds behind the technology we take for granted today. We asked Dr Roach to highlight some of the key moments in the development of the energy sector and the stories behind the people involved.

Having worked with regulators as well as electric utilities and investors for more than four decades himself, Dr Roach will not only share lessons from the past but also focus on how he believes the story will continue to play out.

Guest:

Dr Craig R. Roach | Author | Simply Electrifying: The Technology that Transformed the World, from Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:
#4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future
#3: What a ’new normal’ will look like for the power sector
#2: How has the energy sector changed in the last 10 years?

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Podcast episode #4: Digitalisation’s role in the utility of the future

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 08:09:31 +0000

Digitalisation is a key enabler to the utility of the future. Deeper insights into the network and improved efficiency, especially in a time of social distancing, is also providing utilities with the ability to remotely control and monitor a multitude of devices.

In this episode, Claire Volkwyn, editor of Smart Energy International, speaks with Mike Ballard, Vice President Industry Strategy at Oracle Utilities. They will discuss Oracle’s take on digitalisation, the impact of COVID-19 and why financial sustainability is so important for utilities in both developed and developing countries.

This episode it brought to you in partnership with Oracle Utilities.

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:

Podcast #1: COVID-19 – Utility crisis management
Podcast #2: How has the energy sector changed in the last 10 years?
Podcast #3: What a ’new normal’ will look like for the power sector

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Podcast #3: What a ’new normal’ will look like for the power sector

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 08:13:16 +0000

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world has been widely covered and discussed. But as the world shifts to balancing economies versus health concerns, we turn our attention to the next phase of this changing landscape. What will the ‘new normal’ look like?

In this third episode of the Smart Energy International podcast, we wonder how the power sector is going to be impacted by this pandemic in the long run. How is it going to affect operations? What are the implications for the utility workforce? Are security concerns valid?

Guests:

Philippe Vié | Global Energy, Utilities and Chemicals Sector Leader | Capgemini
Thorsten Heller | CEO | Greenbird
Jon Wells | Vice President of Customer Solutions | Networked Energy Services (NES)

Host:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor-at-large| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

Listen also to:

Podcast #1: COVID-19 – Utility crisis management
Podcast #2: How has the energy sector changed in the last 10 years?

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Podcast #2: How has the energy sector changed in the last 10 years? Reflections from close observers.

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 08:29:03 +0000

The past decade has been one of the most exciting in the history of electric power. Globally, the power and utility sectors have evolved at unprecedented speed. This is thanks to the emergence, and rapidly, the prominence of new technologies and innovation – from generation to the end consumer. We’ve also seen a major shift in how we view the sector, and its function in modern life.

In this episode of the Smart Energy International podcast, we reflect on the past decade and discuss how the sector has grown from four perspectives: generation, innovation, communication and the consumer.

Join us as the editors from Smart Energy International, Power Engineering International, the event director of Enlit Europe and leader from Clarion Energy’s US office, share their experiences and insights, having walked the journey with the sector for the last ten years and more.

Guests:

Claire Volkwyn | Editor-at-large| Smart Energy International

Kelvin Ross | Head of Content Strategy for Enlit Europe and the editor-in-chief for Power Engineering International and Smart Energy International

Paddy Young |Event Director l Enlit Europe

Teresa Hansen |Vice President, Content l Clarion Energy

Host: Philip Gordon | Staff writer Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

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Podcast #1: COVID-19 – Utility crisis management

Wed, 20 May 2020 13:25:05 +0000

In this episode of the Smart Energy International podcast, we examine the efforts of utilities from around the world to tackle the new realities of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How are utilities keeping staff and customers safe?
What role is technology playing during this time and what special measures have been put in place to ensure service continuity

Speakers interviewed include:

Rajesh Bansal, Senior Executive Vice President and Head of Network Operations | BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (Delhi)
Frank Thiel, Managing Director | Quezon Power Ltd Co. (Philippines)
Hervé Champenois, Director of the Linky programme | Enedis
Roberto Zangrandi, Secretary General | E.DSO – European Distribution System Operators
Michele Ivancich, HR manager (Central Italy), Italgas
Raymond G Sandoval, Director-Corporate Communications | PNM Resources
Tim Epp, Senior Manager, Work & Asset Management | Snohomish County PUD
Josh Langdon, Director of Grid Operations & Reliability | NV Energy
Gary King, Chief Workforce Officer | SMUD
Paul Tartaglia, SVP of Technology and Innovation | NYPA

Your host: Claire Volkwyn| Editor| Smart Energy International

Music by NSAT

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Smart Energy International Podcast Series

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 14:56:25 +0000

Welcome to the Smart Energy International podcast, your guide to innovation and trends in the global power and energy sectors.

In these modern times where digital content is king, we at Smart Energy International have decided to share our insights in podcast format as well.

You can subscribe to Apple Podcasts or Spotify directly for easy listening.

You can also access the podcasts below:

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