The physical security rule in place now for critical substations “appropriately focuses limited industry resources” and should not be expanded to a broader…
Steven Garbecht
Director – Industrial DataOps Software
Executive View
Hitachi Vantara's Director of Industrial DataOps Software Explains How Utilities Can Harness the Power of Data Using Their Lumada IIoT Data Ops Platform and Products
Steven’s Bio:
Value-added thought leader, driving sales and market growth in Digital Transformation, Industrial Internet of Things and Operations Technology software, solutions and services that drive financial growth. Adept at customer strategy, messaging, and engagement, managing and nurturing talent, delivering sales and market growth, forming strategic partnerships, and successfully implementing and overseeing complex projects.
Well-versed in IIoT, cloud, SaaS, Edge, ML, AI, DataOps, connectivity, Industry 4.0, visualization, robotics, workflow, predictive maintenance, prescriptive analytics, safety, quality, supply chain, automation & control, PLM, MES, APM, ERP, and databases serving manufacturing, oil & gas, energy, facilities, OEM, and transportation.
Product and Solutions Marketing: Drive demand generation and market awareness across all aspects of messaging, content creation, demos, trade shows, sales training, web experience, content library, campaign execution, contractor management, analyst relations, editorials and PR.
Outbound Product Management: Drive new product introductions. Develop and implement processes to make new products successful in the market and increase time to revenue through multiple channels.
Lumada means to illuminate data. At the heart of the data storage capabilities we have at Hitachi Vantara is data management. We really are known for our data storage products, meaning we can store a lot of different types of data structures. Our software can manage the data stored on the cloud and the Edge.
The IT data systems could include grid systems, manufacturing sensor systems, automation systems, data distribution, and control systems. These systems could also include business systems such as SAP, Oracle databases, national databases, or any kind of data that can be pulled in. Before we go in and send the OT and IT data to the IIoT Core, we can perform many different operations on it. We can clean it, curate it, or tag it with additional information. We can then make it available through self-service to people, provide reports on it, dashboards, analytics, and more. We can also set it up for machine learning and AI, curate those datasets, and put a workflow together. We can take raw data, validate it, create data sets for training models, and then take care of all that in the pipeline.
Finally, we can also make some package solutions. We make applications that can do remote inspection management. We can take structured video and picture data and help give insights into them, thereby identifying various problems, for example, fault detection for substations related to various issues that can visually be identified. For this we use Hitachi Image Based Inspection, Smart Spaces Video Insights, as well as Manufacturing Insights for other scenarios, enabling and ensuring quality, safety, and sustainability, which can be monitored and managed. We have Asset Performance Management, Enterprise Asset Management, and Field Service Management applications too. We can leverage that data for actual processes.
Hitachi Vantara is just one set of software. We have a plethora of other software that can do very specific things for utilities.
Expert View
NERC History Tip
Evans Heacock
Director of NERC Compliance
“NERC originated from the 65′ Blackout event in New York and other areas. They first formed as a council called the North American Reliability Council. Initially, they only gave suggestions and good practice tips for the electrical groups for years. Later, a policy act at FERC gave NERC the power to police. Then NERC became the North American Reliability Corporation, the arms that go out and review and audit the various entities to ensure they are compliant.”
Dave's Compliance Capers
How Not to Train for Compliance
Certrec Market Research
Top Ten Hydro Plants in the United States Ranked by Installed Capacity
About a fifth of the world’s total electricity comes from hydropower, and it is employed by more than 60 countries around the world. In 2020, the hydropower installed capacity reached 1330 GW, and it is anticipated to install approximately 1520 GW by 2027, at a compound annual growth rate of 1.93 percent during the forecast period of 2022–2027. Also, new technology trends are expected to increase hydropower generation and provide great opportunities for the hydro market in the next few years. To see Certrec’s market research on the largest U.S. hydro plants, ranked by installed capacity, click here.
March Poll Insights
Last month we asked our audience: which renewable industry do you think will have the highest installed capacity in the U.S. by 2030? Overall, 35.6 percent voted wind energy while 35.6 also voted hydro energy. Solar was the least voted answer at 28.7 percent.
Capacity is defined as the maximum power output. This measurement helps utilities project how large of an electricity load a generator can handle. Currently, hydro has the highest energy source capacity in total. Research reveals, however, that solar energy is leading the way in capacity expansion, with a 19 percent increase. This is 6 percent higher than wind and 17 percent higher than hydro. If trends hold, solar energy could easily have the highest capacity by 2030.
For market research suggestions, email Marketing@certrec.com.
Participate in Our April Market Research Polls
See the Results in Next Month's Newsletter
- What do you think is the most efficient way to reduce maintenance costs in wind turbine operations and maintenance market?
Participate here.
March Industry Updates
NERC Opposes Expanding Physical Security Rules for Critical Substations Following Duke, PSE, Other Attacks
NYISO: Transmission Security Margins Sufficient for the State, but NYC Faces Reliability Risks
Statewide baseline transmission security margins for New York and margins for the lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island are sufficient for…
AEP, Liberty Utilities Terminate $2.65B Kentucky Power Deal, Partly Over “Evolving Macro Environment”
American Electric Power and Liberty Utilities Co. on Monday terminated their $2.65 billion deal calling for AEP to sell its Kentucky operations to Liberty…
Certrec News
Certrec has been Selected by the Tennessee Valley Authority to Provide their Fatigue Rule Management System to its Fleet of Nuclear Plants.
Press Release — Tennessee Valley Authority has contracted with Certrec to provide a new, modern SaaS solution to manage the fatigue rule, timekeeping, and callout requirements for their nuclear fleet. TVA is the largest public power company in the United States, providing electricity for 153 local power companies and serving nearly 10 million people. Certrec is looking forward to enabling TVA to meet its strategic objectives for fatigue rule management.
Click here to read more
Webinar: Cutting Costs for Your Power Plant Using AI and Machine Learning
Digitizing Utilities – Last month, Certrec hosted a free webinar with Fischer Block’s CEO, Greg Wolfe. In this webinar, Greg presented how Fischer Block’s SMART Block® solution is helping utilities increase their ROI, improve efficiency, and mitigate disruptions to service through digitization. In addition, Certrec’s Director of NERC Compliance, Evans Heacock, also explained how Certrec will help plants interpret the data gathered from these devices.
Click here to watch the full webinar
Click here for more information on how predictive analytics can improve operations at your power plant
Certrec Attends EAGE – Digitalization Conference
Industry Gathering – On March 20-22, 2023, Certrec joined technology experts, utilities, engineers, suppliers, decision-makers, and thought leaders in London, United Kingdom. The EAGE Digitalization Conference & Exhibition is the latest multidisciplinary conference and EAGE’s exploration into the digital transformation of the geosciences. The conference is characterized by a focus on both the latest technical developments and accompanying strategic aspects of digital transformation.
Certrec White Papers
How Power Plants Can Utilize AI and Machine Learning to Reduce Costs and Improve Reliability
New White Paper – Our white paper highlights the challenges that utilities face while making power plants resilient and sustainable. This white paper also covers how AI and Machine Learning can play a role in mitigating these challenges, and how the partnership between Fischer Block, Inc., and Certrec will prove to be beneficial for the energy industry.
Click here to download the full white paper
Specific Cyber Threat Challenges for Power Plants and Utilities
New White Paper – Knowing the types of cyber threats your power plant will face is like knowing the alphabet. This white paper is a primer on the types of cyber threats that power-plant and utility operations and compliance staff should know about. It will enable you to speak the language of utility cyber threats more effectively with IT and operations staff, as well as managers and executives.
Click here to download the full white paper
Upcoming Industry Events
- Carbon Capture Technology Expo
June 28-29, 2023 — Houston, TX, at the NRG Center
Read more
Meet Certrec at These Events
- RSA Conference USA 2023
April 24-27, 2023 — San Francisco, CA, at the Moscone Center
Read more — Schedule in-person meeting - CLEANPOWER 2023
May 22-25, 2023 — New Orleans, LA, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Read more — Schedule in-person meeting - HYDROVISION International
July 11-13, 2023 — Charlotte, NC, at the Charlotte Convention Center
Read more — Schedule in-person meeting
Sign Up For Certrec's Free Webinars
Upcoming Certrec Academy Courses
- Licensing Basis Training
May 17, 2023 — Paid Training
Read more
Gain Instant Access
Certrec's Regulatory Expertise with A Credit Card
CCJW10
Newsletter Subscribers Save 10% on all Certrec CORE Packages
Don’t know what works for you? Arrange an introductory call for regulatory compliance today.
Click the button below (or call me, John, at 214-552-9589).
Subscribe to the Certrec Sentinel Newsletter here.