As utilities face a barrage of challenges – from infrastructure breakdowns to new regulations to climate crises – the old ways of doing business are rapidly becoming obsolete. For over 30 years, Logic20/20 has helped utility providers stay ahead of the pace of change and accelerate towards their resiliency, safety and sustainability goals. Working side by side with partners, the company is forging new paths in leveraging technology to overcome today’s problems and build foundations for a brighter future.

New era, new challenges

As infrastructures age and climate-related disasters continue, attaining a safer, more resilient grid becomes a more complex undertaking, requiring focused attention on climate risk mitigation, grid hardening and emergency operations. Utilities are being challenged to comply with a growing body of regulatory requirements while investing in long-term safety, security and reliability for the good of their communities.

Carbon reduction and sustainability goals – particularly net zero objectives – play an expanding role in utilities’ short and long-term strategies. Achieving these goals requires a massive scaling of the grid, calling for grid modernization projects focused on advanced technologies to manage power flow, renewable sources and a growing number of prosumers.

At the core of these efforts is data: collecting it, managing it and using it as a strategic asset. Data is the key to integrating renewable energy microgrids and distributed energy resources (DERs), implementing DER management systems (DERMS) and other initiatives shaping a more sustainable future. Clean, reliable, accessible data unlocks the ability to:

• Predict and prevent vegetation encroachment
• Determine likelihood and potential outcomes of wildfires
• Tap into DERs to balance energy supply and demand
• Reduce truck rolls and time spent on on-site manual inspections

High-impact solutions to complex problems

Developing and delivering high-impact solutions requires a deep understanding of the industry and the utility’s business problems. Logic20/20 works closely with stakeholders to build a comprehensive picture of where the organization stands today, what they aim to achieve and how specific initiatives contribute to their vision. This includes understanding regulatory drivers, reviewing state and local climate goals and participating in community-driven programs.

This organizational understanding enables development and delivery of fit-for-use data products that support users in their day-to-day work, including highly accurate data models that support downstream business processes. When data products align with user needs and preferences, the utility can use its data to drive informed decision making, better understand customer needs and identify opportunities for innovation.

Technology platforms and advanced risk models should work within an integrated framework that extends across multiple lines of business. For example, wildfire risk modeling should include vegetation and asset management variables, weather factors and potential community impact to inform public safety power shutoff (PSPS) decisions and grid hardening initiatives. These operations and systems are all interconnected, and any initiative that impacts one factor must consider these interconnections to ensure successful implementation.

Forging ahead to the future

Amid mounting regulatory requirements, escalating customer expectations and global demands for greater sustainability, utilities have recognized that “business as usual” is no longer a game plan. But where there is challenge, there is also opportunity. By engaging in strategic partnerships to drive progress, utility providers are uncovering new possibilities for operating leaner and smarter, for redefining their customer and employee experiences and for taking on a leading role in building a cleaner future.

It has been Logic20/20’s honor to collaborate with its clients on their achievements to date, and we look forward to facing whatever the future holds – together.