The Harlow Report-GIS
2023 Edition
ISSN 0742-468X
Since 1978
On-line Since 2000
first published week of: 02/20/2023
Modernizing Our Electric Grid
by Don Kane
Graduating from college with a degree in electrical engineering in the 1980s, I expected to be working in advanced electronics and computer engineering, but there I was in an industry that had had little technological change in decades and appeared to move at the speed of a snail in terms of modernization.
The introduction of desktop computers, along with the ability to model distribution systems and apply spreadsheets to more advanced load forecasting techniques, were the pinnacle of nerd excitement for me back then. More recently, the changes in the industry, and demand for innovation, have been staggering. After spending the bulk of my career focused on distribution planning and operations, I was extremely fortunate to spend my last 5 years in a group devoted to “Grid Modernization”, helping the company begin to navigate a number of new challenges, including the need to model the distribution system in ever greater detail, while incorporating a variety of distributed energy resources (DERs). Nirvana for my inner grid geek.
I now have the privilege of working for Parsons and being involved in an industry that will play a huge role in helping states, municipalities, and utilities with this challenge of aggressive, long-term modernization of the grid. This series will be devoted to the subject of grid modernization and will delve into the elements of the grid most impacted by this truly epic evolution that has only begun to get underway. Future articles will focus on the transmission and distribution systems, vehicle electrification, battery storage, and other new technologies at the grid edge. Each of these areas present exciting project opportunities for years to come.
Read full story at Parsons…