Collaboration, flexibility key to integrating digital technologies, EEI panel says
SAN DIEGO – Leaders from across the tech industry discussed how electric utilities can navigate the challenges of integrating digital technologies into their systems to bring benefits to their customers and businesses, at the opening session of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) 2018 Annual Convention on Tuesday.
Moderator Quentin Hardy, head of editorial for Google Cloud, talked with the panelists about topics such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, the cloud, data analysis and cybersecurity.
Digital technologies can help utilities integrate variable distributed energy resources into the grid, increase efficiency and provide their customers with more customizable solutions. Increased customization is one of the primary benefits of digital technologies, but it is also one of its biggest challenges, the panelists noted.
“This is the opportunity and the challenge throughout digital …” Hardy said. “It’s the ability to personalize, but that means making everything case-specific against a grid that previously was just generating a fairly uniform product …”
To get the most out of these digital technologies, utilities must find ways to integrate them into their existing systems and their customers’ systems.
This need is causing silos to break down rapidly and pushing diverse industries, such as the communications and energy industries, to collaborate with each other, said Durga Malladi, senior vice president of engineering at Qualcomm Technologies.
Philip Mezey, president and CEO of energy and water resource management technology company Itron, noted the importance of third-party developers of applications for use on the grid.
“I don’t think that the companies up here and the utilities have all the answers in terms of how we’re going to engage with customers most effectively and, actually, some of the optimization problems that we face out in the grid,” Mezey said. “So, we have to open the system up to allow for other parties to come on and develop applications and bring their insights.”
Mezey also discussed the need to allow for variable adoption of new technologies and provide a standards-based, but flexible, system. Other strategies the panelists mentioned included using intelligent devices on the edge of the grid, developing more nuanced understandings of customers and emphasizing transparency regarding data practices.
Just as smart technologies enable customers to personalize their energy experience, utilities should personalize how they use these tools, Hardy said.
“We talk about personalization,” Hardy added. “Personalize this opportunity for your own company. Stare hard at who you are. Stare hard at who your customers are. What do you want to get out of this?”
