DistribuTECH 2024 Takeaways

Nicolas Gibergues

As the drive towards net zero accelerates, the power industry is charging ahead, ready to collaborate on finding solutions to the energy transition's most vexing problems.

That was readily apparent during my time at DistribuTECH, the leading technology trade show in the Americas for the electricity transmission and distribution industry. There is a feeling of urgency, a sense of purpose, and an undercurrent of excitement that is driven by the advent of new technology and a willingness to invest in building the modern grid.

Right now, we see three main challenges:

Aging grid infrastructure;
Integrating renewables and leveraging the distributed energy resources at the grid edge; and
Generating enough capacity to meet increasing electrification.

While these three factors have created tension and bottlenecks in the networks, they are also spurring new technologies that will ultimately result in a more stable and resilient grid.

Much of the excitement at DistribuTECH centered on the new software and automation technologies. GE Vernova introduced GridBeats, a suite of five innovative software-defined automation solutions that digitalize grid operations and enhance grid resilience.

Utilities with older grid infrastructure often operate without complete visibility into the network and inadequate control measures to prevent problems that can destabilize the grid. Sensors coupled with digital solutions that use artificial intelligence and machine learning now enable utilities to see everything from the big picture down to the smallest piece of equipment. For example, GridBeats Zonal Autonomous Control allows utilities to divide their grid networks into autonomous zones, allowing the utility to isolate a zone when a problem occurs and bring another zone online to compensate.

Overlaying these advanced digital technologies on existing grid infrastructures creates a smarter, more efficient network that can cope with greater loads and allow more dynamic management of the grid.

Digitalization from the point of generation to the point of distribution also requires a comprehensive approach to cyber security. Last month, the U.S. Department of Energy in partnership with industry and government experts released cybersecurity baselines for electric distribution systems and DERs. Our industry understands that utilities are critical infrastructure and security is paramount.

That’s why we announced GE Vernova’s partnership with cybersecurity powerhouse Dragos at DistribuTECH. An end-to-end software solution must have an end-to-end cybersecurity package grounded in the most robust artificial intelligence and machine learning options available.

There is no question that the next few years will require unprecedented investment to tackle all that needs to be done to meet electricity demand as we decarbonize. Technology is moving quickly, which will require all of us to be creative and nimble. The excitement I saw at DistribuTECH indicates to me that the industry is ready to take the necessary risks that will accelerate the energy transition.