Role of a Satellite-Centric Artificial Intelligence Strategy in Grid Administration
In the face of accelerating climate change, frequent and severe extreme weather events pose serious threats to power grids and critical infrastructure worldwide. According to a Climate Central study, a staggering 80% of power outages in the U.S. are attributable to these weather-related occurrences, affecting millions, hindering economic growth, and straining resources.
As climate challenges intensify, the aging power grids in the U.S. and beyond strained by increasing energy demands require a more proactive, resilient approach to grid management. Traditional monitoring and maintenance methods fall short in effectively addressing the challenges posed by severe weather events fueled by climate change.
Weather-Related Challenges and Grid Vulnerability
Power grids across the globe are aging while demand for reliable energy continues to grow. Climate change introduces new challenges, such as high winds, storms, wildfires, and extreme heat events that not only threaten power infrastructure but also complicate the inspection, monitoring, and maintenance of vast grid networks.
Covering millions of miles of power lines and hundreds of millions of utility assets including poles and transformers, the scale of these networks is immense. Managing such extensive networks under extreme weather conditions is beyond the capacity of traditional inspection methods. The frequency and severity of climate events necessitate more frequent and comprehensive inspections.
In the U.S., much of the electric grid was constructed during the 1960s and 1970s before the energy demands and environmental challenges that we confront today. Nearly 70% of the nation's grid is more than 25 years old, exhibiting its vulnerabilities under the pressure of increasingly severe weather events fueled by climate change. The changing climate has also heightened the importance of proper vegetation management by minimizing vegetation encroachment and overgrowth near power lines to lessen safety concerns and the risk of powerline failures.
Building a Climate-Resilient Grid
To navigate this evolving landscape and maintain grid reliability, critical infrastructure companies like utilities must embrace technological advancements beyond traditional grid monitoring and maintenance methods. By adopting a satellite-first approach and leveraging a variety of data sources, they can uncover the critical insights required to tackle the challenges they confront.
Instead of relying on time-consuming and costly ground-based patrols, drones, or LiDAR equipment for primary inspection tools, utilities can opt for an initial, comprehensive satellite scan of the network. With this approach, utilities can appreciate the distribution and transmission rights of way (ROWs), ascent vegetation encroachment, and identify asset locations and assess terrain and road accessibility.
By merging satellite imagery, LiDAR scans, aerial surveys, drone footage, and enterprise data, critical infrastructure companies can construct a comprehensive picture of asset and vegetation conditions. This method unlocks the potential to optimize routine trim cycles and more targeted, efficient inspections. By conducting long-term grid management strategies that integrate climate resilience, companies can prepare for the challenges of the future while addressing current risks.
Achieving a Satellite-First Approach to Grid Management
Effective implementation of a satellite-first approach necessitates a delicate balance between leadership vision and organizational readiness. While various transformative technologies prove supportive, the human element often poses the most significant challenge. Utilities may face internal resistance due to familiarity with established methods.
Championing transformation while engaging operational teams is vital to navigate this challenge. Top executives must lead this evolution by integrating AI-enabled processes throughout the organization and ensuring that teams at every level comprehend how these tools align with strategic objectives. By achieving this balanced approach, the data-driven tactics can enable critical infrastructure companies to make informed decisions regarding maintenance and mitigation, thereby reducing costs and fortifying climate resilience.
In a rapidly evolving landscape, incorporating advanced AI, employing a satellite-first approach, and taking climate variables into account are crucial steps to constructing a safer, more efficient, and future-ready grid.
Abhishek Singh, an expert in grid management, emphasizes the importance of leveraging technology to combat the weather-related challenges facing power grids. With frequent storms and extreme weather events becoming more common due to climate change, traditional monitoring methods are no longer sufficient. Instead, utilities should adopt a satellite-first approach, using data from multiple sources to create a comprehensive picture of asset conditions and vegetation growth. This will allow for more targeted inspections and maintenance, improving grid resilience and reducing the risk of power outages. (fb4953a2d014bb86a98ab97ae2c764a1)
In light of the growing vulnerability of aging power grids in the face of climate change, Abhishek Singh advocates for the use of mitigation strategies. He suggests that proper vegetation management, such as minimizing vegetation encroachment and overgrowth near power lines, can help lessen safety concerns and reduce the risk of powerline failures. By addressing these vulnerabilities and integrating climate resilience into long-term grid management strategies, critical infrastructure companies can better prepare for the challenges of the future. (singh)
The importance of building a climate-resilient grid cannot be overstated in the face of accelerating climate change and increasing extreme weather events. Utilities like Abhishek Singh's company have a critical role to play in embracing technological advancements and adopting a more proactive, resilient approach to grid management. By overcoming internal resistance to change and integrating AI-enabled processes throughout the organization, they can develop data-driven tactics that improve maintenance and mitigation efforts, reducing costs and fortifying grid resilience. (abhishek singh, importance)
