Grid Forward Chats

Episode 7, Season 5 – Exceeding Cybersecurity Regulations to Further Reduce Risk

Regulatory requirements for cybersecurity are a top priority; however, regulations only cover a minimum level of security needed. Compliance to regulations does not equal security because each organization’s risks differ. On this episode guest host Steven Parker of EnergySec and Jim Schultz of Black & Veatch discuss frameworks that organizations can use to help protect themselves against the threat of cyberattacks and how assessing organizational risk tolerance can produce a customized set of standards that companies can strive to attain.

Episode 6, Season 5 – Scaling Virtual Power Plants to Their Fullest Potential

Maintaining a flexible energy grid is critical to modern day power. Decarbonation goals, policy changes and a migration of people due to the pandemic have all drastically changed the landscape of power supply needs in recent years. On top of that, consumers are adopting distributive energy resources, or DERS, causing the grid to no longer be a one-way system from generation to load. Instead, power sources are coming into the grid from all directions. How can power grid operators ensure DERs at scale are orchestrated to their maximum potential? How are DERs being utilized on the grid today? Listen in as Brenda Chew, director of product management at Virtual Peaker, and Franco Albi, director of regional integration at Portland General Electric, discuss the benefits of the virtual power plants in lowering cost, creating grid flexibility and reaching decarbonization goals.

Episode 5, Season 5 - How AI Can Help Us Build a More Resilient, Decarbonized, and Secure Grid

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to accelerate innovation in the energy grid in terms of resiliency, decarbonization and security. AI has already shown how it can analyze vast amounts of data to help grid operators make near-real-time decisions. As the grid digitizes, AI can help the industry make full use of all its energy resources and infrastructure. However, change is hard, and not everyone is comfortable with integrating AI into the electric sector. What are the main hurdles? How can the industry move forward towards a "software defined" grid in which AI models help utilities meet their goals? Guest host Hanna Grene of Microsoft leads this conversation with Marissa Hummon, CTO of Utilidata, and Marc Spieler, Sr. Director of Energy at NVIDIA.

Episode 4, Season 5 – How Rates and Markets Can Help Meet Rising Demand with APS and EEI

Demand for electricity has exploded over the past several years, and nowhere more so than at Arizona Public Service Company. Grid hardening, storage solutions, flexible rates, transmission projects, federal investments — all of these are part of the solution to make the grid ready for escalating demand. Yet progress needs to be scalable and affordable to meet the needs in the west and across the country. Listen in as Jeff Guldner, the leader of APS, and Philip Moeller, Executive VP at Edison Electric Institute, talk about the whole toolkit, from new market structures to successful DER programs.

Episode 3, Season 5 – Making the Grid Modern and Affordable

The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) represents the interests of utility consumers before state and federal regulators and in the courts. David Springe, Executive Director of NASUCA, discusses how modernizing the grid impacts affordability for the consumer. As infrastructure ages and electrification needs change, modernizing the grid is mandatory. However, these changes bring up issues concerning rate pressure, decarbonization versus lowest cost models, data centers, federal dollars, and resiliency. David discusses all this and more on this podcast episode.

Episode 2, Season 5 - Shifting Energy Market Dynamics: A Conversation with The Leaders of AESO, ERCOT and SPP

On this episode, we have three leaders from organized energy markets to address the shifting dynamics within the industry. They discuss which technologies are being developed in their various regions and how those assets are impacting the energy market. Bryce also asks our guests what they are doing to combat volatilities due to peak loads often being met. Of course, the impact of policy and regulations can either benefit or hinder the energy market. Oftentimes, the biggest challenges are social, environmental and industrial development policies, rather than energy-focused policies. The guests wrap up this episode by discussing modernization, evolving energy markets, the importance of diverse resources and the upward curve of demand.

Our guests for this episode are:

• Michael Law, president and CEO of Alberta Electric System Operator
• Barbara Sugg, president and CEO of Southwest Power Pool
• Pablo Vegas, president and CEO of Electric Reliability Council of Texas

Episode 1, Season 5 – Discussion with the White House: The Federal Toolkit to Advance the Grid

To kick off this podcast season we have Whitney Muse, Senior Policy Advisor at the White House in the Office of Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation for a conversation about the federal toolkit of resources that are in place to help advance the grid. This includes billions of dollars from grants, tax credits, loans and financing for infrastructure expansion, resilience, and the clean energy transition. In addition to this, incentives are available for domestic, clean manufacturing of grid components, and there are special efforts to focus on workforce development and energy justice. Whitney also highlights some of the flagship work at the national labs, efforts supporting increased energy demand from electrification, and the role of AI on the grid. Don't miss this wide ranging conversation of the federal support in motion to assist in modernizing the grid.

 

This season of Grid Forward Chats is supported by Virtual Peaker. 

Episode 11, Season 4 – Leading the Nation’s Largest Energy Delivery Company to Invest in Local Communities

Even though Exelon is the largest energy delivery company in America, the company is committed to investing in local communities and helping all of their operating utilities achieve their goals. CEO Calvin Butler discusses how Exelon turns government policies into action and how it has also applied for $700 million in federal funding for infrastructure projects to address the needs of individual communities. While some grants will help close the digital divide, and others help counties achieve decarbonization goals, all are aligned to the effort to modernize the grid. Calvin also discusses how the company is progressing towards becoming net zero by 2050, driving new innovation ahead while ensuring delivery of reliable and affordable power.

Guest host Devin Hampton, CEO of UtilityAPI and Grid Forward board member, takes the mic for this chat with Calvin.

Episode 10, Season 4 – The Complex Barriers to Building Transmission Infrastructure

What are the barriers to building transmission infrastructure? We know them well as planning, permitting, and paying. Rob Gramlich (founder and president of Grid Strategies LLC, executive director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid and executive director of the WATT Coalition) joins the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Rich Glick to unpack the complexities behind these barriers and update our listeners to the rulemaking that is in process to overcome these barriers. They also discuss how the tension between landowners and stakeholder interests can be balanced to reasonably move transmission development forward. To meet clean energy goals, stakeholders and policy makers must keep their eyes focused on this important issue.

Episode 9, Season 4 – Wildfire & The Grid and Firsthand Account of Lahaina Fires

This special episode of Grid Forward Chats starts with a conversation with Katherine Blunt, a reporter from the Wall Street Journal. Katherine recently published book California Burning which has been widely read and details PG&E in regard to the devastating California wildfires.  Katherine and Bryce talk about lessons that grid stakeholders are learning as wildfires have increasing impact on energy systems, what the toolkit of mitigating wildfire risk looks like, and how utilities and various energy stakeholders can work together to address the increasing risks of wildfire relating to grid infrastructure.

 

In the second part of the episode Bryce talks with LiAnne Drissen of Trilogy Excursions one of the largest Lahaina companies, who saw firsthand the devastation from the recent Maui wildfires. LiAnne recounts the impact of the wildfires on her family, the company and the wider community. If you would be interested to join us in contributing toward the long road ahead for Lahaina recovery please consider donations to: 

 

• Hawaii Community Foundation - https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong
• Maui United Way - https://mauiunitedway.org/disasterrelief
• Lahaina Salvation Army - https://fundraise.salvationarmyhawaii.org/give/508336
• Global Empowerment Movement / Trilogy Maui Fire Fund - https://gemlink.me/TrilogyMauiFireFund