Honoring the Top Voices in the Energy Central Community in 2023: Intelligent Utility Network

As the Energy Central Community continues to thrive and evolve, it's evident that we're our collective members are truly shaping the future of the utility sector. Within this dynamic collective of professionals in the power industry, the community represents a unique and impactful spirit of sharing insights, lessons, and questions, fostering a level of collaboration that sets Energy Central apart.

Undoubtedly, the linchpin of this Community is the remarkable individuals steering the conversations and ensuring continual engagement with readers and peers. To commemorate the close of another successful year, we take a moment to acknowledge and honor those outstanding members of Energy Central who consistently went the extra mile—actively disseminating news and content, instigating discussions across the platform, and delivering truly valuable contributions throughout 2023.

Throughout the week of December 18, we will unveil articles spotlighting the Top Voices of 2023 across our 6 Networks. Continuing our tradition, these recognized community members graciously shared their perspectives on the sector in 2023, offered predictions for the year ahead, and provided personal insights into what makes them tick, allowing us to connect with the individuals shaping the Energy Central landscape.

With that, we extend our sincere appreciation and congratulations to the distinguished Top Voices in the Intelligent Utility Network for 2023!

See the Top Voices in Our Other Communities:

Debashish Roy - Senior Manager, Utilities Industry

Link to Debashish’s Profile

Recommended submission from Debashish: California Becomes the First State in the Nation to Allow Submetering of Electric Vehicles

Is there a post or exchange on Energy Central you’re most proud of?

One of the posts on Energy Central that I am most proud of delved into the transformative impact of Generative AI in the Utilities industry. This article highlighted how Generative AI, a subset of Artificial Intelligence focused on creating new data and solutions, is revolutionizing the sector. It discussed the various benefits, such as the ability to generate synthetic data for testing algorithms, optimizing operations and energy consumption, improving maintenance through predictive analytics, and aiding in the design and placement of renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines.

The post also addressed the potential of Generative AI in developing innovative business models by analyzing customer data to create new services, thus enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction. However, it didn't shy away from the challenges, including the need for vast datasets to train models and the requisite skilled personnel, as well as regulatory and ethical considerations.

This discussion was particularly fulfilling as it not only educated the community about a cutting-edge technology but also sparked a rich conversation about its practical applications, limitations, and future potential in the Utilities sector. The exchange of ideas and insights that followed was enlightening, reflecting the depth of knowledge and curiosity within the Energy Central Community.

Outside of energy and utilities, what are you passionate about?

Away from my professional interests, I am deeply passionate about environmental conservation. This passion aligns closely with my work in energy, as both fields share a common goal of sustainability. In my free time, I enjoy participating in local conservation projects and advocating for eco-friendly practices. This hobby not only provides personal fulfillment but also enriches my professional perspective on sustainable energy solutions.

What will be the hottest topic on Energy Central in 2024?

I anticipate that grid modernization and the integration of AI in energy management will dominate discussions in 2024. As we grapple with the challenges of energy demand and climate change, these technologies will play a critical role in optimizing energy usage and enhancing sustainability.

Joseph Weiss - Managing Partner, Applied Control Solutions

Link to Joseph’s Profile

Recommended submission from Joseph: Critical infrastructures cannot be secured when process sensors are not secure

What energy/utility theme of 2023 has most inspired you to connect with your peers at Energy Central?

The overall theme, this year and for the past 25 years, is to get engineers to participate in cyber security. The security organization knows security, but it is your equipment that is at risk and you know best how the equipment works.

What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve gotten that you would like to pass on?

The best bit of career advice I can provide is to find smart people, learn how they think, and what they think is important. Their brilliance can help you shine.

Outside of energy and utilities, share with us another area of interest that you are passionate about and why.

Family is number one with grandkids on the top of that list. Biking is next as it is my way to get exercise while clearing my head.

Christina Hoefer - VP, Global Industrial Enterprise, Forescout

Link to Christina’s Profile

Recommended submission from Christina: What are NERC CIP Supply Chain Standards? An Overview of New Compliance Regulations

Richard Brooks - Co-Founder and Lead Software Engineer, Reliable Energy Analytics (REA)

Link to Richard’s Profile

Recommended submission from Richard: The Important Role of a Trust Registry in the Software Supply Chain

What is your favorite aspect of interacting with the Energy Central Community?

I really like the collegial, respectful and collaborative attitudes of people in the Energy Central community. Some forums I’ve participated in, outside of Energy Central, form clicks and will sometimes shun people. That is not the case within the Energy Central Community. People in the Energy Central Community share one of the characteristics that I find most appealing about the electric industry: “Mutual Aid”. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be part of the electric industry when I see a convoy of bucket trucks heading to disaster areas to help people recover from catastrophic events in their lives. The Energy Central Community has maintained this “mutual aid” attitude and that makes it a comfortable gathering place to collaborate.

Is there a post or exchange on Energy Central that you’re most proud of from the past year?

I particularly like the posting that was published in the Digital Utility Special Edition: A Paradigm Shift Has Begun in Managing Cybersecurity as a Business Risk. The entire world is suffering from cyber-crime such as ransomware and data theft. It’s clear that the status quo approach to cybersecurity is not working and change is needed, ASAP. I’m also pretty stoked about the December 14th PowerSession; it’s getting broad exposure and interest from across the Energy Central Community and elsewhere.

What has been a highlight of your year, personally or professionally?

This year, Joanne, my wife, and I visited Iceland to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary. It’s the first time we’ve travelled since the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted life. I can highly recommend a visit to Iceland for those who enjoy natural scenery.

Tom Alrich - Supply chain cybersecurity and NERC CIP Issues, Tom Alrich LLC

Link to Tom’s Profile

Recommended submission from Tom: NERC CIP: Will FedRAMP save us?

Outside of energy and utilities, share with us another area of interest that you are passionate about and why.

I'm very involved with the movement (cult?) aiming to make software bills of materials (SBOMs) live up to their incredible potential, which is to be a universally available tool for understanding the software risks every organization faces every day. This is why I started the OWASP SBOM Forum.

What has been a highlight of your year, personally or professionally?

Surviving.

What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve gotten that you would like to pass on?

Understand that there's no such thing as a single career any more. You have to expect that at least every three years, you'll need to either completely reinvent yourself or find yourself in a dead end. The world is changing and you need to change not only with it, but ahead of it.

Tom Helmer - Executive Solution Architect, UDC

Link to Tom’s Profile

What energy/utility theme of 2023 has most inspired you to connect with your peers at Energy Central?

Applying the notion of the Digital Utility® to both the power grid and to the utility’s energy delivery business processes.

Is there a post or exchange on Energy Central that you’re most proud of from the past year?

Participating in the EC PowerTalk with Alex Lionakis of CORE about their ADMS/DERMS Roadmap.

What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve gotten that you would like to pass on?

Listen first, draw diagrams of alternative solutions, and then communicate the business value of each possible solution both tactically and strategically.

Congratulations once again to our Top Voices in the Intelligent Utility Network, and thanks to all Energy Central Community Members for enabling the community and platform to thrive this year! And keep an eye out for the next Top Voices Articles to come as this week unfolds