Across the busy exhibit hall at the IEEE Power and Energy Society's Transmission and Distribution Conference (IEEE PES T&D) in May 2024, industry leaders converged to chart the course of the ever-evolving energy landscape. Amidst the flurry of discussions and presentations, I had the opportunity to connect with Luke Ezell, a seasoned expert from Burns & McDonnell who serves as Project Execution Manager for their Distribution Modernization Group.
During our conversation, Ezell shared his insights for those in the Energy Central audience who were unable to make the conference, shedding light on key trends and developments shaping the future of the power industry. From regulatory pressures to technological advancements, Ezell covered a myriad of topics crucial to understanding the complex dynamics at play within the utility sector.
Read on to hear directly from Ezell as he highlighted the overarching themes that emerged during his time at the IEEE PES T&D Conference. From the constraints of regulatory compliance to the transformative potential of technology integration, Ezell offers valuable perspectives on how utilities can navigate the challenges of an increasingly digitized and interconnected world.
Burns & McDonnell Booth at IEEE PES T&D 2024
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Regulatory Pressures and Compliance as a Recurrent Theme
During our conversation, Ezell was eager to shed light on the prevailing regulatory pressures looming over the utility sector. Emphasizing the need for utilities to adapt swiftly to evolving regulations, particularly regarding compliance standards such as FERC Order No. 2222, Ezell underscored the urgency for utilities to anticipate and respond proactively to these changes.
In particular, Ezell emphasized the importance of meticulous planning and strategic foresight. Of course, conferences like IEEE PES T&D serve as ground zero for sharing notes on such topics to gauge the industry’s feelings on such regulations and plans to move forward. His insights underscored the significant challenges utilities face in navigating the regulatory landscape while maintaining operational efficiency and reliability, and led directly into his key topic of note, which is the collaborative nature of the utility sector.
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Top Priority: Collaboration and Relationship Building
The continuous buzz of technology talk on the exhibit floor captured the attention of most attendees, but when asked about what he valued most about this type of conference, Ezell was steadfast in his response: it was in the connections, both those built anew and strengthened. Consistently, Ezell noted that he and his team at Burns & McDonnell were concerned first and foremost about relationship building across the utility sector. He emphasized Burns & McDonnell's commitment to serving as a trusted advisor and partner to utilities, prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term gains.
Driving this point home, Ezell recalled numerous instances where he was able to connect some of his utility partners to share dialogue about what worked or didn’t work when addressing common problems they communally faced. Oftentimes, those conversations would lead to resolutions that didn’t necessarily require any Burns & McDonnell involvement, but Ezell noted the time spent on these endeavors are a win even if it doesn’t immediately develop into new business for his portfolio.
"We’re a business so of course we want to make money, but more than anything, we have learned the importance of being that trusted advisor. So, we're really a relationship-first shop." – Luke Ezell
Ezell's insights underscored the significance of fostering strong partnerships and open communication channels between utilities and industry stakeholders to drive collective progress and innovation.
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Diving into the Tech Side with Integration and Modernization
While broad business decisions based on collaboration and regulation are crucial, IEEE PES T&D is, at its core, a technology conference. So, the discussion with Ezell naturally dove into the critical role of technology integration and modernization in shaping the future of the utility industry.
Specifically, the topic of reliability has been keeping everyone connected to the engineering of the grid busy, with voltage/VAR optimization (VVO) and conservation voltage reduction (CVR) being key technologies in the Burns & McDonnell toolbelt to maximize the efficiency and optimization of the grid.
Beyond that, Ezell also highlighted the emergence of advanced distribution management systems and demand response management as key focal points for utilities seeking to enhance operational efficiency and grid resiliency. He highlighted the critical importance of distribution modernization and resiliency improvements in ensuring grid reliability and performance to include additional and well planned deployment of distribution automation assets. Ezell's insights underscored the industry's growing focus on leveraging advanced technologies and strategic initiatives to optimize grid operations and mitigate potential risks and disruptions.
Moreover, Ezell emphasized the pivotal role of cybersecurity in safeguarding utility infrastructure against evolving threats, underscoring the imperative for utilities to embrace technological innovations to stay ahead in an increasingly digitized landscape.
"We just started a new managed security monitoring system for cybersecurity purposes, which is a big asset in the industry. So, as we add more of these technological tools, we’re able to respond more quickly to utility companies’ needs.” – Luke Ezell
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Forecasting Future Trends
Looking ahead, Ezell offered valuable insights into future trends and predictions shaping the utility landscape. He discussed the potential impact of electrification and distributed energy resources on grid management and operations, themes that appeared extensively across the exhibit hall. In discussions of what will be emergent in the coming years to better manage those aspects, Ezell noted that AI tools are going to be critical – and that those are areas they are looking at quite intently:
“If you asked someone two years ago what a large language model was, it would have been blank stares. Now, it's really a discussion on leveraging the technologies to improve our current processes. If you don’t learn to leverage AI, you’re going to fall behind. We’re making those investments now to make sure that when that technology is right and ready, we are able to provide the right value in that space.” – Luke Ezell
Ezell's forward-looking perspective emphasized the need for utilities to anticipate and adapt to evolving trends and technological advancements to stay competitive and resilient in a rapidly evolving industry.
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Advising Utilities’ Best Moves Today
Pacing himself on the technologies of the future, Ezell highlighted what can and should be done by utility leaders today. An important one: educational outreach and knowledge sharing within the utility sector cannot be overstated. He emphasized the role of platforms like Energy Central in facilitating industry-wide collaboration and information exchange. Ezell's remarks underscored the significance of fostering a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing to drive innovation and progress within the utility sector.
Ezell also emphasized the paramount importance of efficiency and cost reduction in utility operations, specifically the need for utilities to optimize processes, streamline operations, and reduce expenses to remain competitive in a challenging market environment. What that comes down to, time and again, is breaking down existing utility sector siloes:
“Utilities can be doing a good job at delivering on their goals today, but too often they are still operating in a silo which puts a ceiling on their potential optimization. It’s so important for people who work in the utility’s distribution side to be connected to and talking with teams at the generation site and vice versa, as one example. They need to understand what each other are working on, are developing, and have access to, because you never know what new efficiencies can be found when their ideas cross-pollinate, but that can’t happen when they’re isn’t two way communication.” – Luke Ezell
Ezell's insights underscored the industry's ongoing efforts to maximize resource utilization and minimize costs while maintaining high levels of reliability and service quality.
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Conclusion: Charting a Course for the Future
As the IEEE Power and Energy Society's Transmission and Distribution Conference drew to a close, Ezell noted the work to be done by the Burns & McDonnell team to educate the industry. With both the consulting wing (1898 & Co.) and the engineering teams under the Burns & McDonnell umbrella, he emphasized that he and his colleagues have so much start-to-finish value to bring the utility sector, but they need to make sure their current and future partners fully understand that.
As a truly dedicated problem-solver for the industry, Ezell emphasized the collaborative nature of the utility sector, which is unique across the wider business landscape. He was eager throughout the conference to connect with people and ensure ideas were being shared and solutions were being found, even if that meant fostering conversations that led to solutions outside of his team’s capabilities.
As he noted in conversation: "We're not just here to keep the lights on, we're here to pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.” With leaders like Ezell at the helm, the utility sector is poised to continue its ongoing rapid, exciting transformation toward a more resilient, efficient, and interconnected power grids.