The U.S. electric grid is undergoing significant transformation to support dependency on digital technologies, advance the interconnection of renewable and distributed energy resources, and enable customers to better manage their usage and produce energy locally. Large public and private investments made under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) have significantly advanced smart grid technology deployments, providing real-world data on technology costs and benefits, as well as best practices. Deployments are delivering results, yet grid modernization efforts are varied across the nation and recent experiences have demonstrated that the nation’s electrical infrastructure can be susceptible to widespread outages from natural and manmade cyber-attacks.
This presentation discusses a vision for the grid of the future. It will review the status of the ARRA investments, the emerging requirements for the electrical infrastructure, the differences between the traditional grid and the new grid, and discuss of the customer’s role in the system of the future. In doing so, examples of new storage and self-healing distribution technologies will also be highlighted.
BIOGRAPHY:
Wanda Reder, is the Vice President of the Power Systems Solutions at S&C Electric Company offering engineering, procurement, project management and field service capabilities to utilities, developers and industrial customers. Prior to S&C, Wanda held numerous leadership positions at Exelon and Northern States Power (now Xcel) having responsibility for asset investment strategy, planning, engineering, unregulated business start-ups, and more.
Wanda is an IEEE Fellow, was the President of the IEEE Power & Energy Society in 2008 – 2009, has served on the PES Governing Board since 2002 and is on the IEEE Board as the Division VII Director. She launched IEEE Smart Grid and provided leadership for it from 2009 – 2013. The effort brings a trusted voice to the marketplace and the opportunity for multi-disciplinary exchange. She also launched and co-chairs the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative which is aimed at doubling the number of undergraduate engineers pursuing a power and she serves on the Board for the IEEE Foundation.
Wanda is a recognized leader in the industry and serves on the DOE Electricity Advisory Committee as a US Secretary appointee where she chairs the Smart Grid Sub-Committee and the Workforce Ad-Hoc Committee.