Navigating Digital Transformation: Insights from the 2024 Canada Protection Symposium

From November 12-14, I had the privilege of attending the 2024 Canada Protection Symposium in Toronto, Canada. Sponsored by OMICRON, the event brought together an impressive array of regional ecosystem integrators, utilities, and industry experts. Discussions centered around the digital transformation of substations and the broader power grid – a pivotal theme shaping our industry, especially as we navigate the electrification of our systems and the grid of the future.

The symposium offered a platform to explore critical themes, challenges, and opportunities in our journey towards digitalization. It also served as a reminder of the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing the evolving demands of the power systems landscape.

The Push (and Pull) for Digital Transformation
I’d say that one of the key themes was digital transformation for substations – a focus that resonated across presentations and discussions. The industry is at a crossroads where embracing new technologies in substations is no longer a matter of “if” but more so a matter of “when”. From advanced automation to centralized protection, the digitalization of substations promises improved efficiency, reliability, and overall maintenance.

However, the digital journey doesn’t come without its challenges. Some of the difficulties in making the shift include:
1.       Business Case Justification: For utilities, the transition to a digital system often hinges on finding a robust business case which involves balancing future operational efficiencies against the immediate costs of implementing new systems.
2.       Workforce Capabilities: Engineers who have worked within traditional frameworks for decades are now confronted with the rapid pace of modernization. Training power system engineers to use digital tools while leveraging their expertise is a critical step.
3.       Change Management: Linked with the above, perhaps the most significant barrier is human resistance. Engineers and utility stakeholders alike need to adapt their mindsets to embrace change. And this is not a small feat in an industry that prioritizes safety and where risk aversion is ingrained into our core.

Change Management as the Cornerstone for Transformation
Discussions about change management were particularly insightful. Digital transformation involves more than just introducing new technologies – it demands an overhaul of procedures and policies. Training and testing can most certainly help, but there’s an added psychological component to adopting new methods and workflows.

Engineers face a paradox: while modernization offers evident benefits, it also challenges the foundational principles of how they’ve operated for years. Building confidence in digital systems will require ongoing collaboration, robust testing, and open communication.

And this reluctance or hesitation to embrace change isn’t something new. In fact, it mirrors a broader caution surrounding technologies like generative AI. While change can be daunting, resistance can lead to stagnation. The industry’s task is to strike a balance of modernizing the grid in a way that minimizes risk and disruption while maximizing the benefits of a digitalized grid.

Mind the Gap!
Another pressing concern that made some headwinds at the event was the skills gap in the workforce. Make no mistake, engineers excel at analog and legacy systems, but the speed of technology is outpacing training. This isn’t a shortcoming of the workforce; it simply reflects the need for initiatives tailored to the industry’s evolution.

The Path Forward
Emerging areas like software, virtualization, data analytics, and cybersecurity are just a few examples of new concepts that are driving the power industry forward. One standout topic for me was virtualization and centralized protection. By reducing the amount of hardware required in distribution substations, centralized systems offer significant benefits in terms of cost, operations, and maintenance.

Another key area of interest was renewable energy integration, especially as the grid evolves to incorporate more distributed energy resources (DERs), microgrids, and renewable sources. The IESO delivered a compelling presentation on DERs and innovation funding. Their Innovation Roadmap highlighted forward-thinking strategies tailored to Ontario’s needs, but with global applicability. It demonstrated how outside-the-box ideas can lead transformative solutions, particularly for regional markets grappling with rapid renewable integration.

Overall, the 2024 Canada Protection Symposium highlighted the vast potential of digital transformation, while also shining a light on the hurdles we will need to collectively address. Achieving meaningful progress will require collaboration, a mindset shift, and more. By focusing on change management, we can ease the transition for engineers and other stakeholders. By integrating digital skills into power engineering programs, we can develop a workforce ready for tomorrow’s challenges. By fostering innovation, we will continue to carve an exciting path forward.

Grid modernization, much like the acceptance of generative AI, is a double-edged sword – it holds enormous promise, but requires meticulous execution. Attending this event was a reminder of the dynamism of our industry. Onward and upward!