Technical Presentation: Enabling Calgary’s Electricity Transition

Event Details

Date

September 13, 2023

Start Time

7:00 pm

Location

Please see below for the recording.

Abstract

It used to be that people only thought about their electricity system under two circumstances: when they were paying a bill or when the power went out. The advent of the energy transition is changing that. More and more people are choosing to electrify their cars, install home solar systems, and switching to electrical heating and air conditioning and wondering “how much will I save?”. And those who aren’t choosing to electrify are often wondering “can the grid even handle all of this?”

For the first time in 120+ years the principles of operating an electric grid are being challenged as new technologies allow customers to become not just higher-capacity sites, but also generators. This change is leading electric utilities to look at new strategies for how they plan and operate a more flexible, efficient electric system. In 2019 ENMAX established a Grid Innovation team to identify, evaluate, and pilot new opportunities to drive change in its core business and help enable a smooth, affordable energy transition for all Calgarians.

This presentation will give an overview of the drivers influencing the energy transition, the technical impact on utilities, and highlight some of the key pilot projects ENMAX has delivered around EV Charging, Battery Storage Systems, and customer microgeneration.

Bio

Mike McCarthy, PEng

Mike is the Manager of Grid Innovation for ENMAX Power in Calgary, Alberta. ENMAX’s Grid Innovation team is preparing the electric system to meet the demands of an increasingly electrified world. By adopting new strategies and emerging technologies ENMAX is transforming the way it plans, operates, and maintains a modern grid. Mike is an Electrical Engineer, and spent 10 years working in utility engineering design and construction before moving into ENMAX’s Grid Innovation team in 2021. He lives in Calgary with his wife and their three-year-old son.

Venue

7pm, September 13th, 2023.