Smarter Grid Solutions Mini-Episode of the "Smart Green Energy Transition Podcast" featuring a blog written by Graham Ault our EVP of Markets and Products. You can view the article in full on our blog: https://news.smartergridsolutions.com/ferc-order-2023 and if you have any questions for Graham feel free to reach out to him through our website: https://www.smartergridsolutions.com/contact-us

Smarter Grid Solutions Mini-Episode of the "Smart Green Energy Transition Podcast" featuring a blog written by Erik Felt our Executive, North America of Sales and Business Development. You can view the article in full on our blog: https://news.smartergridsolutions.com/benefits-of-energy-management-system and if you have any questions for Erik feel free to reach out to him through our website: https://www.smartergridsolutions.com/contact-us

The Smart Green Energy Transition introduces mini episodes based on blogs from our subject matter experts. Discover the key differentiators between ADMS and DERMS in this special episode written by Drew Smith. Read the article now: https://news.smartergridsolutions.com/adms-vs-derms and if you have a question for Drew please send him a message through our website: https://www.smartergridsolutions.com/contact-us

In this episode we speak with Dr. Simon Gill, Head of Whole System & Technical Policy in the Directorate of Energy & Climate Change at The Scottish Government.

Simon talks about his motivations relating to climate change and his career route into clean energy and technical policy. He outlines the many aspects of clean energy policy and the system issues being considered by the Scottish Government as well as his hopes for COP26.

Simon also speaks about the clear vision and unique resources in Scotland that help it be a leader in clean energy including ambitious targets, renewable energy resources, renewables deployment experience and innovation, including hydrogen.

Simon talks about architecting a coherent whole energy system. Balancing and securing the whole energy system and decarbonizing the system operability services such as black start are highlighted as crucial challenges in the energy transition. Timely and efficient investments in network infrastructure and flexibility are noted as examples of the need for good cooperation between different agencies.

About our guest

I provide a cross-cutting perspective on the energy system to Ministers and policy teams across Scottish Government. Decarbonising the energy system involves major engineering challenges and opportunities. I help ensure these are reflected in the policy making process. I have a particular focus on the electricity and gas systems, but I also support teams dealing with issues including low carbon heat, decarbonizing transport, fuel poverty, economic development, planning and many more.

I joined Scottish Government in 2017 after spending nine years at the University of Strathclyde working in the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department and focusing on electricity network innovation and research. I worked on several innovation project including: the NINES project with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks which successfully increased the capacity of renewable capacity that the Shetland electricity network was capable of hosting, and the ARC project with SP Energy Networks which delivered Active Network Management in Southeast Scotland.

As a ClimateXChange Research Fellow researching security of electricity supply in Scotland.

My work at Strathclyde led on from a PhD in electricity engineering at the same institution which focused on maximising the benefit of distributed wind generation through Active Network Management, energy storage and demand flexibility.

Before all of that I taught high school physics in the north of Scotland after completing a PGCE and an undergraduate degree in Astrophysics.

About Us

Smarter Grid Solutions is a leading enterprise energy management software company operating internationally from bases in the UK and US.

Smarter Grid Solutions’ DERMS products are used by distribution utilities, energy service companies and microgrid operators to manage grid capacity and resilience and to seamlessly integrate energy assets to the grid and market. Its software already manages over 400 MW of distributed energy resources around the world and has saved customers over $300 million in grid upgrades.

If you’d like to find out how our smart energy management products help clean energy developers to add value and push towards net zero then visit us at: www.smartergridsolutions.com

In this episode we speak with Stephen Stead, Director of Strategic Growth at SSE Energy Solutions (SSE) in the UK.  Steve speaks about the challenges and the new ideas and solutions in integrating distributed, local energy into networks and the energy market. These solutions span the decarbonization of multiple energy vectors as well as private networks development and smart cities. The drive to real net zero carbon and the use of digital platforms to manage energy, financial and carbon to achieve those goals comes clearly through the discussion.

Steve also talks about his personal motivations and initiatives in climate action as well as the large programs that SSE lead in offshore wind power and energy services including, now including smaller scale energy assets including solar PV, battery energy storage, EV charging hubs and new innovative solutions such as hydrogen.

Smarter Grid Solutions’ work with SSE on the Peterborough Integrated Renewables Infrastructure (PIRI) smart city project and the delivery of the Virtual Power Plant platform are highlighted as exemplar projects for SSE, along with their integration across multiple energy assets and digital platforms.

Steve mentions SSE’s COP26 programs and his hopes for real impact and change from COP26.

About our guest

Stephen Stead - Director of Strategic Growth, SSE Energy Solutions

Stephen Stead has worked in the energy sector for over 25 years, and for the last 10 years his focus has been primarily on smart solutions and low carbon technologies including hydrogen-based energy systems.

Most recently, while Director for SSE Enterprise, Distributed Energy, he established the Digital Services business for SSE targeting areas such as Smart City, Energy as a Service, EV Charging and Smart Asset Management.

Stephen started his career in the IT sector where he worked for Siemens and Toshiba developing products and services for the energy industry.

He has a sharp eye for business trends and has been hugely successful at developing new business propositions to address industry needs.

Stephen studied Computer Science at Kingston University and went on to achieve an MBA from Manchester Business School. His writing on sustainability, innovation and future energy has also appeared in the New Statesman, Modern Utilities and Utility Week.

About Us

Smarter Grid Solutions is a leading enterprise energy management software company operating internationally from bases in the UK and US.

Smarter Grid Solutions’ DERMS products are used by distribution utilities, energy service companies and microgrid operators to manage grid capacity and resilience and to seamlessly integrate energy assets to the grid and market. Its software already manages over 400 MW of distributed energy resources around the world and has saved customers over $300 million in grid upgrades.

If you’d like to find out how our smart energy management products help clean energy developers to add value and push towards net zero then visit us at: www.smartergridsolutions.com

In this episode, we speak with Zach Caruso, Lead Analyst at AVANGRID in the US. We hear from Zach about his personal motivation on climate change as well as AVANGRID’s progress on their ambitious carbon neutrality commitments and the role of AVANGRID networks in delivering that.  Zach shares experience of deploying their Flexible Interconnect Capacity Solution (FICS) using Smarter Grid Solutions’ technology in line with the NY state regulator directive to create clean energy hosting capacity.

Collaboration and innovation with other utilities on smart interconnection solutions is highlighted as a means of increasing the distributed energy capacity connected to the distribution grid.  Zach also shares his hopes for COP26 and his views on different types of solutions.

About our Guest

Zach Caruso is a Lead Analyst – Programs and Projects focusing on DER Management and Grid Modernization on the Smart Grids Innovation and Planning team at AVANGRID Inc. Zach has been the Project Manager on the Flexible Interconnection Capacity Solution REV Demonstration Project at AVANGRID since he joined the company in 2017. He has also managed demonstration and pilot projects addressing, Battery Storage, Voltage Optimization and DER Monitoring and Control in that time in addition to helping guide AVANGRID’s Grid Modernization efforts across its service territories in NY, CT, and ME. He received his B.S. and M.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.

About Us

Smarter Grid Solutions is a leading enterprise energy management software company operating internationally from bases in the UK and US.

Smarter Grid Solutions’ DERMS products are used by distribution utilities, energy service companies and microgrid operators to manage grid capacity and resilience and to seamlessly integrate energy assets to the grid and market. Its software already manages over 400 MW of distributed energy resources around the world and has saved customers over $300 million in grid upgrades.

If you’d like to find out how our smart energy management products help clean energy developers to add value and push towards net zero then visit us at: www.smartergridsolutions.com

In this episode we speak with Scott Mathieson the Network Planning & Regulation Director at SP Energy Networks in the UK. Scott speaks about planning the network to meet current responsibilities as well as future customers and generations.  This includes the significant capacity of renewables already connected and the massive increase in connection capacity now being planned for as well as the challenges for local networks from massive scale heat and transport electrification.

Scott speaks about the commitments to customers, innovation, smart solutions, engineering skills, and modelling and forecasting capabilities as some of the resources required to serve customers better and to deliver net zero carbon.  The roles of data, planning and apps for heat and transport, and system flexibility are also highlighted.

Scott mentions the success of the Active Network Management smart grid innovation project in Dunbar, Scotland and which is now being rolled out to Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland with further roll-out across South Scotland, Merseyside, and North Wales.  Scott shares some thoughts and hopes for COP26 and the need to act quickly and work with political, city and regulatory leaders to drive changes.

About our Guest

Scott Mathieson is the Network Planning & Regulation Director at SP Energy Networks.

Scott joined ScottishPower after graduating from the University of Glasgow with a degree in economics. In a career spanning 25 years with the company he has gained experience across a number of roles including Strategic Planning, Regulation, Financial & Regulatory Reporting and Asset Risk Management. Scott has played a significant role in the company’s major price control reviews post privatisation and has been involved in a number of group strategic projects, including acquisitions and business change programmes.

Over the course of the last 10 years Scott has been increasingly involved in the area of asset risk management and system planning and design across Transmission and Distribution. Scott was appointed to his most recent role as Network Planning & Regulation Director at the end of 2014, increasing his responsibilities to include Asset Management, System Design & Planning, Process and System Development and Workforce Renewal.

Scott is a member of the Board of Directors for SP Distribution, SP Manweb and SP Transmission.

About Us

Smarter Grid Solutions is a leading enterprise energy management software company operating internationally from bases in the UK and US.

Smarter Grid Solutions’ DERMS products are used by distribution utilities, energy service companies and microgrid operators to manage grid capacity and resilience and to seamlessly integrate energy assets to the grid and market. Its software already manages over 400 MW of distributed energy resources around the world and has saved customers over $300 million in grid upgrades.

If you’d like to find out how our smart energy management products help clean energy developers to add value and push towards net zero then visit us at: www.smartergridsolutions.com

Episode

In this episode, we speak with Mairi Brookes, Executive Director at the Low Carbon Hub (LCH)  in the UK, about her and their amazing work in community energy and how they embrace the opportunities and challenges with combined efforts across 50 community energy groups.

Mairi speaks about her route into community energy as well as the LCH role in the Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks’ Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) project.  She highlights the community led deployment of clean energy and the energy management platforms that help create value and positive climate impact: together, the People’s Power Station.  Tapping flexibility value streams through a digital platform with more open data access is seen as an essential means of delivering the contribution from smaller scale energy assets. Policymakers, local government and platform providers taking the long-view is noted as an essential to allow community energy to fulfil its potential.  Listen for some great insights on the way forward from our quick-fire questions round.

About our Guest (Mairi Brookes)

An experienced professional and a woman on a mission: As Smart Energy Systems Director at Low Carbon Hub I help to accelerate carbon emissions reduction through the development of new business models for community energy projects. 

Formerly an astrophysics researcher I switched my career to sustainability in 2007 and have made my way from: product manager at a start-up developing carbon management software; through three years in central government at the Department of Energy and Climate Change as a Senior Energy Policy Officer; seven years at Oxford City Council as Sustainable City Manager working on community energy, city-scale decarbonization and electric vehicle infrastructure, and a short stint as Head of Transformation at its trading company Oxford Direct Services. Before joining the Hub this year I was freelancing via Purpose Built Consulting Ltd and I have been a Director at Westmill Solar Cooperative since June 2019.

About Us

Smarter Grid Solutions is a leading enterprise energy management software company operating internationally from bases in the UK and US.

Smarter Grid Solutions’ DERMS products are used by distribution utilities, energy service companies and microgrid operators to manage grid capacity and resilience and to seamlessly integrate energy assets to the grid and market. Its software already manages over 400 MW of distributed energy resources around the world and has saved customers over $300 million in grid upgrades.

If you’d like to find out how our smart energy management products help clean energy developers to add value and push towards net zero then visit us at: www.smartergridsolutions.com