It may be a cliche at this point, but it's still true to say that the grid is the most complex manmade machine ever created. Stretching across the country for thousands upon thousands of miles, with new updated technologies constantly being added and additional capabilities being required, all while even a few minutes of outages are deemed wholly unacceptable by customers and utilities alike. But ensuring a modern, safe, affordable, and flexible grid is among the most critical focuses in the world of energy today, and doing so requires a constant state of investment.Â
To identify exactly what the most time-critical areas are in which to invest and how stakeholders across the grid should be focusing on this topic, Energy Central has decided to dedicate our March Special Issue to "Investing in the Grid."
We want to hear from you! We are seeking stories, white papers and case studies from our community for this Special Issue Edition.  We are especially looking for insights on the following topics: New Technologies, Transmission Expansion, Securing the Grid, Electrification, EV & Fleet Charging, Connecting Renewables and Energy Storage.
Our Special Issues present a unique opportunity for you to share your experiences with peers in the industry and perhaps even help kickstart conversations that help you and others uncover new potential solutions and opportunities to areas of the business management side of the utility that you may be overlooking.Â
Below are a few topic prompt ideas to get you started:
- How do utilities decide between competing priorities within necessary grid investments?Â
- What are the under-discussed areas of grid modernization and the business-side challenges they bring, such as in keeping up with customer care or empowering workforces? Â
- How will last year's Infrastructure Bill and other potential Federal spending factor into what utilities should be doing to invest in their grid operations?Â
- What new technologies are going to be making waves as they get integrated into the grid in the coming decade?Â
- What does the planning process look like on the grid with the new energy economy that will factor in electric vehicles, energy storage, and greater distributed energy generation? Â
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With your submission to the March 2022 Special Issue on 'Investing in the Grid,' we invite you to consider the list of topics and topic prompt above and participate in the group knowledge sharing and brainstorming process only available via the Energy Central Community.Â
How you can Participate:Â
For Professionals who work for a Utility, IPP, RTO, or Government Agency
We're inviting submissions from experts and leaders who have expertise in our Special Issue topic. This is an opportunity to share with your fellow community members your hands-on experiences and lessons learned, as well as predictions for the coming years.
*For professionals who work for utilities, IPPs, RTOs, or government agencies, submission is free. See below for details on how to submit an article and for deadlines.Â
Invitation for Solution Providers and Industry Vendors to Get Involved:
This Special Issue is a great way to share your insights and message with the power industry. To learn how you can contribute an article or become an official content sponsor of this special issue, please get in touch with a client representative at [email protected] or Download our Product Guide now for more information.Â
Instructions for Participation:
Send your submissions to [email protected] with the subject ‘Investing in the Grid' If you need feedback on your submission idea, feel free to send questions or even an abstract to the same email address. We are looking for more in-depth articles on this subject (5-10 paragraphs)- a little more than what you would typically share as part of a community blog post. Â
- Abstract due date (optional):Â March 11, 2022
- Final submissions due date:Â Â March 18, 2022
- Issue deployment date:Â March 31, 2022
To learn more about our Special Issue Article Guidelines and Review Process, follow this link.