Getting Smart on Smart Energy – January 2024 Digest for the Intelligent Utility Network

Thank you for checking out the Intelligent Utility digest. This piece compiles important articles that concern different elements of grid technology, transmission, distribution, energy storage, and all associated technologies. The articles referred to in this piece are just a small smattering of the content posted on Energy Central, so make sure to check the rest of the site.

Get to Know Your Fellow Community Member

Spotlight: Joseph Weiss

What sets Energy Central apart from other online industry outlets is the true community-level feel. To highlight that aspect, this spot each month will feature a quick profile of one of your fellow Community Members for you to get to know and inspire you to reach out to them: leave a comment on their recent Energy Central content, follow their profile, and build a new connection in the industry!

Name and Title: Joseph Weiss, Managing Partner at Applied Control Solutions

Topics of Focus: Cybersecurity, Industrial Control Systems

Recent Energy Central Contributions of Note:

CISA’s response to Iran hacking control systems in US critical infrastructures is inadequate

Iran hacks US water system: Observation and implications of a terrorist attack on US soil

Forecasting where a hacker will go once inside an OT network

Top Content This Month

Building a Better Utility Marketplace in 2024 by Mark Wilkinson

Utility professionals, explore strategies for revitalizing your marketplace in 2024. Learn about modernizing the customer experience, updating product catalogs, and personalizing outreach. Discover the benefits of bundling programs and reaching customers through diverse channels. Enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty in the evolving utility landscape.

“If 2023 RFPs were any indication, a LOT of utilities want to update, revamp, and re-energize their utility marketplaces in 2024.  Utilities saw a lot of success over the past decade with utility marketplaces offering basic energy efficiency devices like smart thermostats and LED bulbs.”

Read the full article and leave a comment or question for the author here

Smart Microgrids: AI-Powered, Data-Driven, VPP-Managed, Green Hydrogen Generating Roadmap for Sustainable Communities by Brandon Potter

This article unveils a transformative Smart Microgrids roadmap, integrating AI-powered Virtual Power Plants for personalized, resilient, and sustainable energy solutions, emphasizing advanced technologies, anticipatory load management, and innovations like Green Hydrogen eFuel generation to propel us toward a holistic and environmentally conscious energy future.

“The document intricately unveils a comprehensive Smart Microgrids roadmap, delineating an AI-Powered, Data-Driven, Energy Generation strategy personalized for each and every Sustainable Community. This transformative approach seamlessly integrates AI-Powered Virtual Power Plants (VPP) as foundational elements, shaping resilient, sustainable, and adaptive energy infrastructure. The focus is on crafting personalized, responsive, and dynamic energy solutions using cutting-edge technologies.”

Read the full article and leave a comment or question for the author here

NSA Issues Guidance on Incorporating SBOMs to Improve Cybersecurity by Richard Brooks

This NSA guidance on Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) implementation surpasses previous ESF initiative documents, offering practical and achievable recommendations to enhance cybersecurity in the software supply chain, aligning effectively with Energy Central’s guidance, and emphasizing the importance of vigilance against CISA KEV incidents.

“This NSA guidance for SBOM implementation to help companies improve cybersecurity protections for the software supply chain is far superior to previous documents published by the ESF initiative under NSA.”

Read the full article and leave a comment or question for the author here

Recent Q&A in the Community

Q: What are the types of data privacy best practices you’ve implemented to ensure top security, whether for utility customers, employees, IT systems, or otherwise?

Read submitted answers and or add your own!

Q: How smart meter data is being used by utilities?

Read submitted answers and or add your own!

Upcoming Energy Central Events

Jan 30-31: 4th EV Charging Infrastructure Summit – North America, West

Jan 30 – Feb 1: MD&A 2024 Turbine and Generator Inspection and Repair Technology Seminar

Feb 5-8: 2024 AESP Annual Conference

Feb 8: A Stepwise Journey Toward Digitalization and Grid Modernization [an Energy Central PowerSession]

Feb 26-29: DISTRIBUTECH International 2024

Tapping into the Community

We want to make sure this Community is full interactive and properly reflects what you want to be seeing. So in this space each month we’ll leave a quick question seeking your feedback: this could be to gather your input on a new feature on Energy Central, to take the pulse of how the Community feels about a certain industry development, or even a fun ‘ice-breaker’ type of question. 

Each month, we’ll provide a review of the answers received in summary as well as the new question for the month. 

This month, we want to hear about the topics you’re most excited about heading into the new year. Using the poll feature below, we’ll collect their feedback on a certain question. 

Thank you for reading this digest. Feel free to comment on or share any article that you like. This site has many sections that cover just about every section of energy, so make sure to check any other areas that might interest you. Please check this section again next month, there will be another digest.

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