The grid is often called the largest and most complex machine that engineers have ever created, and that was before the advent of smart grid technology, modernized solutions, and more taking place across T&D infrastructure all the time today. Keeping up with the developments on grid technology, associated grid markets, and appropriate regulations and policies can be a full-time job, but with the aid of the Grid Network on Energy Central (composed of the Grid Professionals Group and the Transmission Professionals Group) you can be privy to the best shortcut to stay up to date on the news, musings, and debates shaping the grid today.
Regular inspections can help utilities maintain their portion of the grid.
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/pip/regular-inspections-can-help-utilities-maintain-their-portion-grid
We so often focus on building new transmission, on modernizing, and on implementing the latest tools on the grid that it can be too easy to overlook how vital basic inspection and maintenance is to provide upkeep for our existing resources. Jason Franssen, lineman supervisor, won’t let that happen though and he’s in fact sharing how some of the new and most advanced tools are making such inspections more powerful and efficient. These tools will only become more important as the grid grows and we have greater quantity of infrastructure to keep on top of.
Pattern Energy Acquires SunZia Transmission Project
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/tr/pattern-energy-acquires-sunzia-transmission-project
That said, proliferation of new transmission projects are in no short order. Keeping us in tune with the latest such news, as he often does, is Kent Knutson highlighting the acquisition of the SunZia Transmission Project by Pattern Energy Group. See this link for the impacts and implications of this news.
Breaking Down the July 13 Virtual Power Plant Memorandum from Texas Energy Regulators
Link to the original article: https://energycentral.com/c/pip/discussion-thread-breaking-down-virtual-power-plant-memorandum-texas-energy
Lastly, Arushi Sharma Frank of Tesla breaks down the policy developments coming out of Texas as they relate to virtual power plants and the state of the Texas grid. Few grids are under as much scrutiny these days as ERCOT, so having involved experts like Arushi break down the developments is of the highest importance, so I definitely recommend checking out this article and leaving her some questions in the comments if you want to discuss further.
This wraps up another edition of ‘Here’s Looking at You, Grid.’ Check back in this spot in four weeks to see what submissions have captured the attention of our community. And if you think there are stories I’m missing—let me know in the comments, or better yet submit an article on those stories so it can be included in the next issue. Make sure you don’t miss out on these shared insights in the future.
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