Columbus, Ohio, USA: A replicable model for smart electrification for social good

Date: April 9, 2019

Presented by:

Ram Sastry, Vice president – Innovation & Technology, American Electric Power (AEP)

Duration: 51 minutes

Summary

Electrification – the process of powering equipment or systems by electricity – is driving global innovation of commercial and residential buildings, transportation systems and industry. It is also driving innovation in the design of new energy solutions and services for American Electric Power Company’s (AEP) customers. 
 
In this webinar, AEP (a GSEP member company) shares its perspectives and experience in building a smart community in Columbus, Ohio, USA. In 2016, the City of Columbus – home to AEP’s corporate headquarters – won the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Smart City Challenge. Smart Columbus has a vision that starts with the reinvention of mobility, positioning central Ohio for a future beyond what anyone has yet imagined. Goals include:

  • Improving people’s quality of life
  • Driving growth in the economy
  • Providing better access to jobs and job opportunities
  • Becoming a world-class logistics center
  • Fostering sustainability

As part of this initiative, AEP will help drive consumer adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by removing barriers and investing in and supporting the deployment of electric charging station infrastructure. AEP was one of several partners to sign on to the challenge with the City of Columbus. The collaboration focuses on modernizing the transportation network and reducing carbon emissions in both the transportation and electric power sectors. While the partnership focuses on central Ohio, the lessons we take away will benefit all of AEP’s customers in the 11 states we serve.

AEP envisions a future of widespread electrification. By replacing technologies that run on combustion engines and motors with alternatives that run on electricity, we can optimize how we use the power grid and hasten the transition to clean energy. The advent of smart cities and their ecosystems of smart transportation, smart street lighting, smart buildings, electric vehicle charging stations and other technologies, has quantifiable social benefits for our communities. 

La montée en puissance des énergies renouvelables variables impose une gestion adaptée des réseaux électriques.

  • Les énergies variables déstabilisent-elles les réseaux électriques ?
  • Les coûts pour les réseaux ne sont-ils pas trop élevés ?
  • Le stockage est-il indispensable ?

Le séminaire abordera ces questions à partir de deux études de cas, l’une au Québec et l’autre au Sénégal.
Une période de questions et réponses suivra les présentations. Le séminaire sera enregistré et pourra être visualisé ultérieurement.

Incriptions: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7966439339719153166?source=Academie

About the speakers

Ram Sastry

Vice president – Innovation & Technology, at American Electric Power (AEP).

In this role, he is responsible for identifying new technologies and business models in the United States and internationally that will help position AEP for success. He joined AEP in 2002.

Hydropower skills development workshop in Asia

Summary

  • Increase participants’ knowledge of hydropower generation projects in the region
  • Encourage the sharing of experiences and the dissemination of best practices in the region

More than 70 local and international experts and government delegates came together in Kathmandu, Nepal at a GSEP skill-building workshop on hydropower generation development. The workshop was organized in partnership with the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the Nepalese Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI), and GSEP member companies Kansai Electric Power, EDF and Hydro-Québec. Participants shared experiences and lessons learned from other hydropower projects, with the purpose of assisting local project developers in identifying actions that will facilitate the development of hydropower projects in the country.

The Himalayan region has considerable hydropower potential that has not been fully exploited. Nepal is blessed with significant hydropower resources that have been estimated to be around 84,000 MW, of which 43,000 MW have been identified as economically viable. Although Nepal suffers from regular energy shortages, the available hydropower resources could provide a large surplus if strategically developed.

“This workshop will fill the knowledge gap by bringing together experts with decision makers and practitioners to build skills in the sustainable electricity sector. This workshop will provide not only essential knowledge, but also a great opportunity to share experiences on both technical and regulatory issues.”

Purushotam Acharya, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation

“It is important for Kansai Electric to share not only our experience and lessons learned in the implementation of hydropower projects in the region, such as the Nam Ngiep 1 HPP project in Laos, but also additional practical tools in the development and management of hydropower plants. We hope that this workshop will assist the Nepalese government and project developers to successfully capitalize on the country’s vast hydropower potential.”

Yoshiyuki Sugita, Manager, Strategy and Cooperation Group, International Business and Cooperation Division, Kansai Electric

PARTICIPATING MEMBERS AND PARTNERS

 

  • Kansai Electric Power
  • EDF
  • Hydro-Québec
  • Nepal Electricity Authority
  • Nepalese Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation

Spotlight on China: developing EVs and charging infrastructure in a new energy system

Vehicle

Date: November 29, 2018

Presented by:

Dr. Xianzhong Dai, Senior engineer and researcher, State Grid Energy Research Institute

Duration: 19 minutes

Summary

State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) owns and operates the world’s largest EV charging network and service platform, with over 66,000 charging stations in China covering a territory of 26 provinces. In this webinar, SGCC shares more about the company’s EV infrastructure development and the key challenges the company is tackling. The presenter also shares success stories and lessons learned from the company’s creation of a smart energy management system that can optimize the interaction between EVs and the power grid. 

Watch the webinar now:

About the speakers

Dr. Xianzhong Dai

Senior engineer and researcher at the State Grid Energy Research Institute.

His research focuses on policies and business models for smart grids, electric vehicles and charging facilities, and the global energy internet.

The Role of Electrification in the Energy Revolution: China’s Targets and SGCC’s Actions

Date: May 3, 2018

Presented by:

Dr. Jiangtao Li, Senior researcher, State Grid Energy Research Institute (SGERI)

Duration: 36 minutes

Summary

China is at the heart of the global energy revolution, becoming a powerhouse in renewable energy at home and abroad. At the start of 2017, the Chinese government announced that it would invest $360 billion in renewable energy by 2020. In this webinar, GSEP member company State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) presents the company’s future strategy and vision of “re-electrification” that supports the clean energy transition and the electrification of end uses. Ambitious actions from the company on both the supply and demand sides will play a key role in China’s energy revolution, helping to meet national energy targets.

About the speakers

Dr. Jiangtao Li

Senior researcher at the State Grid Energy Research Institute (SGERI).

His research focuses on electrification in end use sectors, short-run electricity supply and demand, and load characteristic analysis. He is also one of the main authors of Global Energy Review & Outlook, SGERI’s flagship publication on the statistical analysis and long-term projection of global energy supply and demand.

Developing skills to accelerate renewable energy deployment in Central Africa

Summary

  • Increase participants’ knowledge of available tools, in particular those related to project financing, to accelerate the deployment of renewable energies and energy efficiency projects
  • Stimulate local technology development and strengthen knowledge of issues related to technology transfer and capacity-building through training and research
  • Encourage the sharing of experiences and the dissemination of best practices in the region

From April 17-19, 2018, the Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership (GSEP), in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Energy of Cameroon, UNESCO, Berkeley Energy Cameroon, and Huawei conducted a joint workshop focusing on skill-building in renewable energy.

As part of the workshop, participants received technical training for RETScreen, a project analysis software used worldwide for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Various experts from the Central African community also shared their electrification success stories, including hydro, solar, and wind projects in both connected and off-grid communities across the region. Participants were able to draw key lessons learned from these case studies related to regulatory frameworks, enabling environments for investment, and how government policies can foster electrification. A visit to Bayomen was also organized. The village is one of the sites of Huawei’s electrification project in Cameroon which is supplying electricity to 166 villages in the country.

This regional conference was organized at the initiative of the Ministry of Water and Energy of Cameroon to strengthen the capacities of public and private actors involved in the implementation of its national policy to increase the share of renewable energies (excluding large hydro) in the national electricity matrix to 25% by 2035.

This workshop targeted participants from countries of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), in particular developers, operators and practitioners in renewable energy development and energy efficiency, as well as public decision-makers of the ECCAS.

“The development of renewable energy requires building a regulatory framework, creating awareness for stakeholders/civil society, research organizations, overcoming economic and technological blockages, and providing enabling support”

Manaouda Malachie, Secretary General, Cameroon Ministry of Water and Energy

“The fundamentals of what is required to make projects happen is an enabling environment, tariffs and regulations for renewable energy, and a solid contractual structure.”

Luka Buljan, CEO of Berkeley Energy Cameroon

WORKSHOP DOCUMENTS