What does the global push for electrification mean for the grid edge?

With decarbonisation higher on the global agenda than ever, we’re hosting a series of short and topical sessions this December to explore the huge potential of technologies and tools at the grid edge. The series will kick off on with a research spotlight on long-term procurement for decarbonisation and reliability, and conclude with a live episode of The Energy Gang podcast.

Find out more about the full agenda here. And read on for a preview from just a few of the experts you’ll hear from during the Grid Edge Innovation Series.

Ben Hertz-Shargel, Global Head of Grid Edge, Wood Mackenzie:

“Throughout the series, we'll be addressing issues of key concern to utilities, from long-term power procurement obligations to the availability of next-generation AMI and grid sensors. We'll also be hearing from automakers and leaders in EV infrastructure on their strategies for electrification. 

"In my research keynote presentation I'll preview our 2021 distributed energy resource (DER) outlook, including the size of the market and the key challenges and opportunities facing both DERs and electrification. I'll also analyse how DERs participate in wholesale markets today and the impacts that FERC Order 2222 may have.”

Ben Hertz-Shargel will be presenting Defining America's DER footprint – scoping the size, dynamics and FERC 2222 opportunities for the US DER ecosystem.

Digaunto Chatterjee, Vice President, System Planning, Eversource:

“A key part of the discussion will be around what we believe is the most critical challenge that must be solved to drive DER scale. For me, a few likely contenders stand out: solving distribution system constraints; solving transmission system constraints; ensuring DERM platforms are designed with all future value streams in mind; ensuring the wholesale market is designed to price all value streams provided by DERs; and articulating the DER value streams.”

Digaunto Chatterjee is taking part in the panel session FERC 2222: will it drive DER scale through 2030?

Suzanna Mora, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, PEPCO:

“I’m looking forward to exploring both the great opportunities for DER presented by FERC 2222 and the considerable work and investment utilities will need to undertake to enable all this. A key question will be: how do we balance keeping barriers for DER participation low without too much cost shift to consumers?”

Suzanna Mora is taking part in the panel session FERC 2222: will it drive DER scale through 2030?

Ram Chandrasekaran, Principal Analyst – Transportation & Mobility, Wood Mackenzie:

"In my interview with Matt Stover, Ford’s Director of Charging and Energy Services, we’ll be discussing how the Ford F150 is expected to bring vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology into the mainstream, and the impact it could have on the world. Could bi-directional charging capability change the decisions car buyers are making in a time when climate change is creating significant power disruptions?"

Ram Chandrasekaran is moderating Breaking down F150-lightning, Ford’s residential charging solution, and their V2B resilience strategy.

The Energy Gang podcast:

Join us for a live episode of the recently relaunched The Energy Gang podcast, hosted by Ed Crooks. This hour-long conversation will cover how the global push for electrification will impact distribution networks, and what needs to be implemented at the grid edge to allow for the considerable growth in load forecasted for the next three decades.

The Energy Gang live podcast will be recorded on 16 December.

Find out more about this event series

The Grid Edge Innovation Series will dig into the latest market insights on topics including:

• the role of utilities in a decentralised grid
• sustainable electrification
• next level grid analytics
• the future of EV charging
• DER aggregation and orchestration. 

Visit the event page to view the full agenda and registration details.