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The benefits of smart grid technologies and data-driven management are well understood. Using open protocols to control energy resources, extract information, and optimize responses can enable enormous productivity and stimulate new services. Similarly, the accumulation of data can inform better planning for a more resilient grid. But, as explained in “The Dark Side of the […]

Now is the time for oil and gas companies to get involved in renewable energy. Fossil fuels provide the bulk of energy consumed in the U.S., but oil and gas (O&G) companies saw declining energy consumption in recent years and face a negative, long-term economic outlook. According to Wood Mackenzie, wind and solar will make […]

Some stories in the world of energy are perennial. Pretty much every year, we read new advances in energy production or use that are going to revolutionize the world. And every year, that prediction doesn’t pan out. COMMENTARY Other stories are decadal. Every 10 years or so, we hear about radical breakthroughs in electric cars, […]

It’s the decade of the Distribution System Operator (DSO) and time is of the essence. The utility sector is one of the last industries to digitalise its operations. Distribution grids face a seemingly impossible journey to decarbonise, decentralise, and digitalise. And the climate-change clock is ticking. It takes time to mature operations based on relevant, […]

Many consider the “hydrogen economy” (the idea that all our energy needs could be provided by hydrogen) a pipe dream, since current solutions to the green energy crisis are critically lacking in either economic viability or environmental sustainability. Producing hydrogen from natural gas (grey hydrogen) is the least expensive method but produces carbon pollution and consumes large […]

The way we generate and distribute electricity has become a Rubik’s cube for power companies, regulators, and consumers. The need to reduce carbon emissions linked to climate change by investing in renewables is acknowledged by most experts. At the same time, recent unusual weather events have demonstrated that there is also an urgent need to […]

The extreme freeze in Texas and ensuing power outages in February were the latest reminders that energy is the backbone of our society. From wildfires in the west to hurricanes on the Atlantic seaboard, climate related events are increasing in severity and frequency, illuminating the vulnerability of our power grid across the nation. COMMENTARY Nationwide, […]

With historic wildfires in California and severe winter storms in Texas, electric utilities had little choice but to initiate rolling blackouts to reduce strain on the electric grid, leaving millions of residents stranded without power. These catastrophic events revealed vulnerabilities in our energy infrastructure that must be addressed to meet peak electricity demand as our […]

How do you protect yourselves from cybercriminals that plan to hold your organization for ransom? These criminals are intelligent, extremely computer literate, and know that production facilities, the utility sector, and mainly the power sector are ripe for ransom threats. The criminal hack organization known as DarkSide created a malicious computer code that resulted in […]

Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) is a combined electric/water/wastewater/gas municipal utility serving 600,000 customers in the Pikes Peak area in Colorado. The company was founded in 1922 and takes sustainability seriously. Water is especially important, and CSU operates a state-certified lab that analyzes more than 12,000 samples per year from CSU plants and another 4,800 from […]