Danny Petrecca with Locusview

Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTech and talking to Danny Petrecca, Vice President of Business Development with Locusview about “Digital Construction Management – digitally streamlining utility’s construction”.

Utilities face budget cuts, regulatory hurdles, and interest rate fluctuations, while digitization can alleviate these pressures and improve operational efficiency. Innovation and problem-solving are key to addressing challenges, with a scarcity of contractors and resources in the digitization journey. Traditional paper-based construction management is inefficient, and implementing mobile technology can simplify workflows and make them more efficient. New technologies such as GNSS receivers and mobile devices have the potential to revolutionize the industry.

Wayne Adams with J W Adams and Associates

Industrial Talk is onsite at PowerGen and talking to Wayne Adams, Global Sales with J.W. Adams and Associates about “The many challenges and solutions impacting power generation today”.

Scott MacKenzie and Wayne Adams discussed the potential of hydrogen as a renewable energy source, while Scott MacKenzie and Wayne Adams explored the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to a low-carbon future. MacKenzie highlighted the need for large-scale implementation of renewables, while Wayne emphasized the importance of addressing waste heat generated by power plants. Both speakers acknowledged the limitations of relying solely on natural gas and emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach that includes renewable energy sources and small modular reactors. Later, Scott MacKenzie and Wayne discussed the potential of nuclear power and various engineering solutions for sustainable energy generation, with MacKenzie supporting nuclear power due to its stability and need for a reliable energy source, while Wayne highlighted the importance of collaboration and innovation in the industry.

Darin Briskman and Josh Bartliff with Imply

Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTECH and talking to Darin Briskman, Director of Technology and Josh Bartliff, Strategic Account Executive with Imply about “Highspeed, real time, data analytics supporting the demands of the utility market”.  Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation:

The speakers discussed the significance of real-time data analytics in the utility industry, emphasizing its role in making timely decisions, avoiding cascading failures, and optimizing operations. They highlighted the need for utilities to modernize their systems to accommodate real-time decision-making, leveraging technologies such as AI and ML to analyze vast amounts of data from sensors and make decisions in sub-second intervals. The speakers also discussed the challenges of managing and analyzing large volumes of data in real-time, including the need for a database that can handle both streaming data from latest devices and traditional data from mainframes, and mentioned Apache druid as a potential solution.

Miguel Morales | SoftwareAG and Ty Roberts | Itron

Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTECH and talking to Miguel Morales, Commercial IoT Lead with Software AG and Ty Roberts, Vice President of Marketing with Itron, Inc. about “Grid Edge – How utilities will manager their distributed energy assets.”.  Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation:

The conversation centered around the importance of collaboration and innovation in the utility industry, particularly in managing distributed assets and leveraging software platforms like Cumulocity. Speakers emphasized the complexity of grid edge technology and the need for leaders to guide the charge towards a more sustainable and efficient future. They also discussed the importance of utilities managing energy demand and infrastructure with smart devices, reducing investments in poles and wires, and changing their relationship with consumers from energy providers to partners in the energy transition.

Marcelo Lorenzo with Bluefin ESI

Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTECH and talking to Marcelo Lorenzo, Sales Engineer with Bluefin ESI about “The reactive power impact of AI on datacenters”. 

Marcelo and Scott MacKenzie discussed the growing demand for power in data centers, particularly in Virginia. They emphasized the need for collaboration between utilities and data center operators to find innovative solutions to meet this demand efficiently. They also explored the potential of generative AI to transform various industries.