Sessions

Initiate is the hub at DISTRIBUTECH to hear about new technology, innovation, and up and coming talent in the energy sector. There will be 25 amazing startup companies pitching for a chance to win an award from Duke Energy and Clarion Energy Events. Stop by booth #3755 on the POWERGEN side to hear pitches and content centered around energy innovation.

The future of energy in Texas and the US is one of carbon-free promise, but numerous challenges face us in designing and operating an electrical system to meet the growing demand for power while ensuring resiliency, reliability, and security. How do we manage these challenges within a changing regulatory regime and with an evolving threat environment? Deepa Poduval, Vice President & Global Advisory Leader at Black & Veatch kicks off the Leadership Summit with a short introduction. Following his remarks will be a conversation with former US Secretary of Energy and former Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, Massoud Amin, professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, and Julia Matevosyan, Chief Engineer at ESIG Energy. This give-and-take discussion will offer a candid assessment of the policy, technology, and cybersecurity issues that are crucial to the bulk power system’s future.

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the NETL national lab have created an advanced, open-source computational platform through the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES). The IDAES platform is the next generation, multiscale and optimization framework that bridges the gap between process simulators and algebraic modeling languages. IDAES can be used as a digital twin to improve the efficiency and reliability of the existing power generation fleet, and to accelerate the development of integrated advanced-energy systems. IDAES is built upon an extensible, equation-oriented process model library that supports both steady-state and dynamic modeling. The system enables rigorous, large-scale mathematical optimization that supports better decision making by considering the behavior of integrated processes and systems. Robust optimization, and stochastic programming methodologies support both process and grid infrastructure design applications, and handle multi-stage decision-making, allowing users to perform co-optimization of design, planned upgrading/retrofitting, and/or operational control of advanced energy systems. The IDAES platform consists of a library of classes, methods and functions that are assessed via Python-language programs and methods. Python offers the IDAES user access to the broad range of data analytics and reporting supported by the high-level language but requires the user to have programming knowledge of the language. MapEx Software has developed a desktop software application that allows the IDAES user to build models via a flowsheet-based, graphical user interface, which frees the user from the need to write Python language code. Initial applications of the IDAES analytic platform include performance monitoring and operational enhancement of a coal-fired power plant in New Mexico. Results from the IDAES modeling will be shared where IDAES was able to identify and suggest resolution of a pump surge problem that limited the low-load capability of the power plant. Dynamic modeling of plant load change identified the stresses induced in key plant equipment and enabled estimates of the equipment life consumption caused by different rates of load change.

In what may be an industry first,  machine learning applied in a trial program at 740 MW CCGT merchant plant has proven its power both to detect previously unidentifiable performance anomalies in real time and forecast performance to enhance day-ahead merchant power market bid strategies.  This case study summarizes the initial situation, trial program solution, results and future prospects.  

Workers in the utilities and energy industries are at an increased risk of serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs). According to a recent study from safety consulting firm DEKRA Insight, workers in utilities had a SIF exposure rate of 32 percent, compared with 25 percent across the larger industrial workforce. There is a moral and business imperative to do better. Much attention is paid to better protecting our critical infrastructure, including the entire power supply chain, while improving efficiency, environmental impact and productivity. The same attention is not applied to the workforce that keeps that infrastructure up and running. What's more, as experienced workers retire across utilities and power generation is is even more crucial to deploy tech-enabled solutions that can protect and empower newer workers while integrating into increasingly digitized systems. Connected worker solutions starting to fill these needs. This presentation will dig into 1) the detailed drivers for connected-worker solution adoption, 2) types of solutions available and key differentiators, 3) learnings from deployments across Nuclear (w/ Westinghouse), Biomass (w/ Enviva) and industrial applications from mining to oil & gas with similar worker profiles from frontline and lone worker to hazardous location work, as well as networking and data privacy challenges and 4) key considerations in building your business case for deploying connected worker solutions and expected ROI,

Initiate is the hub at DISTRIBUTECH to hear about new technology, innovation, and up and coming talent in the energy sector. There will be 25 amazing startup companies pitching for a chance to win an award from Duke Energy and Clarion Energy Events. Stop by booth #3755 on the POWERGEN side to hear pitches and content centered around energy innovation.

Heads of companies and thought leaders discuss specific challenges they have to meet their decarbonization goals or those set by government agencies, and how R&D can help individual companies and industries. The panel would focus on specific challenges and opportunities industries are facing, on electrification and its limits, and on specific measures/technologies needed.

Take 5 for a drink and a quick chat at our cantina receptions located throughout the exhibit hall.

Networking Bar Locations:

Company	Booth Name
Black & Veatch	4811
PTMW	3745
Power Plant Services	6146
Qualus Power Services	3827
Maddox	4245
Blue Wolf Performance Solutions	4516

The always complicated process forced upon developers and builders of new projects for the energy sector gets more challenging and problematic every year. Financial constraints, technology, and connectivity needs, regulatory hurdles, political pressures, and, last but not least, environmental goals and challenges are not always in alignment, so utilities and their partners have hard rows to hoe in bringing those together. A significant part of our build strategy is now planning for weather-related challenges with hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters.  How do we prepare ourselves to keep the grid and infrastructure online or restore as quickly as possible when disaster strikes?  This session will look at how both utilities, developers, and partners navigate the building and install the intelligent equipment needed for Destination 2050.