EPRI UNPLUGGED

Solar forecasting, and the application of advanced solar forecasting to grid operations, are crucial research areas in enabling higher levels of renewable resources and making sure system operators can keep the lights on. EPRI recently received a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for research related to integration of advanced solar forecasting into system operations. EPRI researchers shine light on the future of advanced solar forecasting and its impact on grid operations.

In this episode we dive into a topic you’ve probably at least heard about – blockchain. What is it? How does it work? And what does it mean for the utility industry? Some of our leading experts at EPRI answer these questions and more.

As the number of wind and solar farms continue to increase, asset owners are innovating for efficiency, cost, and reliability. This innovation includes the area of operations and maintenance. Renewable asset owners are considering such things as how to best apply insights from large amounts of data, opportunities for efficiency monitoring and improvement, and when or if to use a third party for O&M services. EPRI wind and solar researchers shine a light on these issues and more in our latest podcast.

Indoor agriculture facilities have the potential to deliver fresh produce to local and regional communities, reducing transportation costs and emissions, and reducing water usage. They also require electricity. Frank Sharp, EPRI Senior Technical Leader for Energy Utilization, joins the podcast to talk about the technology and what it means for the utility industry and efficient electrification.

Electricity shows incredible promise in powering the technologies of today and tomorrow. How could it transform utilities and other industries where power is a key input? What are the opportunities and implications across the United States? We tackle these issues and more in looking at the future of efficient electrification, and the upcoming International Electrification Conference and Exhibition August 20-23 in Long Beach, CA.

Protecting Critical Assets: Cyber security is a critical priority for electric utilities. How can utilities protect themselves against attack by terrorists and hackers? What can be done to strengthen grid resilience against threats to equipment failures? EPRI’s cyber security experts discuss these threats and how EPRI’s cyber security technologies can protect the utility industry.

High-altitude electromagnetic pulse describes a nuclear detonation over land that could potentially cause damage to large transformers and substations. However, there are differing opinions on just how catastrophic an event such as this might be. As a result, EPRI launched a three-year research initiative in 2016 to investigate these events, including threat assessment, mitigation, and recovery. EPRI Vice President of Transmission and Distribution, Rob Manning, sits down to discuss findings so far and research that is ongoing.

Human observers within the narrow band of total eclipse on August 21, 2017 were treated to a dramatic experience of light and dark. In contrast to the human experience, solar generators responded to the gradual changes in light intensity both in the band of “totality” and across the much broader region of partial eclipse, as recorded by researchers and monitors across North America. Hear from EPRI researchers about the data gathered during the eclipse and how this research can inform future operations.

A consideration for the future of augmented reality is the impact of interoperability. In this conversation, EPRI technical executive John Simmins and augmented reality consultant and advisor Christine Perey help us decode interoperability and the importance of industry standards to the future of augmented reality in the utility industry.

Is coal dead? Is there such a thing as clean coal? What exactly is CCS? We tackle these questions and more in a thought-provoking discussion on the role of fossil fuels globally and the advanced technologies needed to meet energy and environmental goals. Guests: Jeff Phillips, Abhoyjit Bhown.