The Energy Central’s Network of Experts is recognized by industry insiders as the most critical collection of utility sector voices who are not only watching and sharing the trends in energy, but they are the innovators who are actually bringing those trends to life. From technology to policies to big idea, these movements are all driven by the thought leaders across Energy Central and in our network of experts.
Today, we add another tremendous and influential voice to the docket in Ron Yoshimura. Ron is a Principal Consultant at UDC, Inc. where he brings over 35 years of experience in developing and implementing enterprise software solutions for the utility sector. Based on this deep experience, Ron is a critical new voice for our Digital Utility Group, and as always we’re eager to kick off his expert presence with him participating in our New Expert Member Interview:
Matt Chester: Thanks for agreeing to be one of our experts, Ron. Please start by sharing a bit about your background in the industry so our community better understands what went into you being established as an expert?
Ron Yoshimura: I have 38 years of experience developing GIS products and implementing GIS projects for electric, gas, and water utilities globally. I have worked for a number of software vendors creating products for the utility industry including Intergraph, Schneider Electric, Futura, General Electric, and Open Systems International. More recently, I have been involved with extracting GIS data to build network models that support ADMS applications.
MC: You’ve been fortunate to be at the forefront of much of the utility modernization and digitalization process in recent years. Can you speak to what that pathway has been for the sector, whether it happened at the rate you expected, in the direction you saw as most likely, or have you found yourself surprised at the trajectory of digital / modernization developments?
RY: I have been involved in several GIS consolidation projects in the past few years for some very large investor-owned utilities. I am very surprised to see these large progressive utilities are just now moving to GIS consolidation considering the additional costs involved in supporting multiple GIS installations. Some of this is inevitable as utilities merge and have different GIS products, but considering the support, maintenance, and integration costs, I would have thought GIS consolidation would be a higher priority.
MC: When it comes to GIS at UDC, your personal focus is more in how GIS can serve as a repository for asset data supporting advanced grid management systems. Can you share some of the concrete examples of how this plays out? And what does success look like when you’re operating in this way for a customer?
RY: I consider the GIS to be an enterprise asset repository. There are many downstream applications that are dependent on the quality of the GIS data including advanced distribution management systems (ADMS). It is paramount that the GIS data supporting ADMS applications has very few errors otherwise it is very hard for System Operators to determine if there are problems with the applications or the data. Most GIS extraction applications that build ADMS network models incorporate extensive error checking to ensure quality data. To me success looks like: 1. the process to extract GIS and build the ADMS network model performs with no errors, and 2. ADMS applications reliant on the data perform as expected.
MC: When you engage with clients on a new opportunity, how has the conversation shifted compared with 5 or 10 years ago? Are customers looking for different opportunities? Are the technologies shifting the strategies you’re recommending when it comes to grid modernization?
RY: I believe more recently, clients are looking towards the downstream applications like ADMS. Most utilities have good quality GIS data and want to leverage the data by using applications to make their utility more efficient by reducing outage durations, support better system planning and improved customer service.
MC: Why did you feel compelled to get more involved in the Energy Central Community? And what value do you hope to bring to your peers on the platform?
RY: I think Energy Central is a great forum for disseminating industry trends with excellent input from knowledgeable industry experts. Many of the expert contributors have specific focus areas that many readers may not be knowledgeable about.
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Thanks to Ron Yoshimura for joining me for this interview and for providing a wealth of insights and expertise to the Energy Central Community. You can trust that Ron will be available for you to reach out and connect, ask questions, and more as an Energy Central member, so be sure to make him feel welcome when you see him across the platform.
The other expert interviews that we’ve completed in this series can be read here, and if you are interested in becoming an expert, you can reach out to me or you can apply here.