Energy & Utility Events Update

The trade show season has started. We decided to give you an update on the coming events. Below is a list of the most pertinent conferences and trade shows in the energy sector and utility supply chain management in North America.

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October 28-30, 2014 – Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Produced in partnership with the Supply Chain Management Association of Alberta, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and the Government of Alberta, the Canadian Energy Supply Chain Forum is a two and a half day conference and trade show focused on helping and enabling Canadian energy companies build a world-class supply chain.

This event will provide a number of world-class examples of supply chain management excellence and deliver guidance on how to think, interact and approach your daily work in new and innovative ways. The CESCF will provide insights on how Canadian energy companies can achieve supply chain excellence by re-evaluating communication practices, scope preparation, contract negotiation, risk management, integrated project delivery and more.

http://www.supplychainforum.ca/index.php/schedule

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 APPrO 2014 – 26th Annual Canadian Power Conference & Networking

November 18-19, 2014 – Toronto Convention Centre

Two days of information sharing by the industry’s most knowledgeable and expert speakers, stimulating discussion among the key players and innovators and prime networking opportunities at hosted events including the Power Networking Centre!

APPrO’s annual conference hosts delegates and exhibitors from across the spectrum of the power generation business. No other event brings you this critical mass of power professionals.

http://www.appro2014.com/

Brochure: http://ow.ly/CnxtC

Carole Kielly, Marketing Manager: carole.kielly@appro.org – 416-322-6549 ext 226

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Federation of Alberta Gas-Co-ops Ltd. Annual General Meeting & Trade Fair

November 24-27, 2014, Delta Edmonton South Hotel/Radisson Edmonton South Hotel, Alberta, Canada

For 50 years, the Federation of Alberta Gas Co-ops Ltd. and its 81 Member Utilities have been proud to have helped build Rural Alberta. The supply of natural gas to remote areas of our province has been essential to the development of Alberta, and has ensured all Albertans have access to a great quality of life no matter where they are. From a small collection of farmers to now the world’s largest rural gas distribution system, we are proud of our story and will celebrate it at our Annual General Meeting and Trade Fair this November.

Program: http://www.fedgas.com/public/data/documents/01TradeFairBrochure14pdf.pdf

http://www.fedgas.com/admin/contentx/default.cfm?h=2&PageId=11163

For more information, contact Dawn Dietz at the Federation Office
(780) 416-6543 or ddietz@fedgas.com

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 NET 2015 – Touchstone Energy Annual New and Emerging Technologies

January 26-29, 2015, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

NET 2015 is Touchstone Energy’s premiere B2B conference connecting national energy managers and key account personnel from around the nation. Hear and see what new technologies and topics are shaping our industry from national speakers and experts. View new products and services from our valued sponsors and exhibitors and network with beautiful Tucson as your backdrop.

Contact: Kathryn Momot, Program Manager, Kathryn.Momot@nreca.coop, (703) 907-5707

http://net.touchstoneenergy.com/content/net-2015

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 TechAdvantage Expo

February 23-26, 2015, Orlando, Florida, U.S.

TechAdvantage is at the forefront of innovation, delivering critical technologies that are transforming the world of engineering, information technology, energy services, operations, supply management and business. Join everyone for four days of leading-edge strategies and best practices created to share and demonstrate advantages in science, technology and other industry areas that will benefit Co-op Nation well into the 21st century.

Who comes to TechAdvantage?

• Engineers eager to leverage new applications and existing technologies to do their jobs well and do their jobs right
• Sharp operations professionals wanting to keep pace with new technologies who are ready to execute results and fire on all cylinders
• IT professionals targeting new skills and analyzing practical information to manage infrastructure, security and strategy
• Frontline supply managers attentive to new ideas and innovative products that they can maneuver and apply at their co-ops
• National co-op leaders wanting to hear from technology experts about what they see coming to determine how their co-ops will meet new challenges
• Smart co-op insiders, hungry for what comes next and re-energized by new ideas that will elevate their efforts to new levels

Eric Commodore, NRECA
Telephone: 703.907.5577, Fax: 703.907.5521, eric.commodore@nreca.coop

Mary Novack, Kenworthy Management, Inc., NRECA Show Management
Telephone: 718.578.4658, Fax: 718.848.5095mary@kenworthymanagement.com

http://www.techadvantage.org

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 Supply Chain Management Association National Conference

June 10 to 12, 2015, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Canada’s premier event for supply chain management professionals is also its largest. Each year, 500 top procurement and supply chain decision-makers from across Canada come together at the SCMA National Conference to discover the latest developments and best practices in the profession.

http://www.scmanational.ca/nationalconference/

Email: info@scmanational.ca

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Southeastern Electric Exchange Annual Conference & Trade Show

June 24-26, 2015 – Hershey, PA

 The Southeastern Electric Exchange is a non-profit trade association of investor-owned electric utility companies.

What makes the SEE Annual Conference and Trade Show a popular choice:

—for Utility Members?

• Breakout sessions provide in-depth presentations by industry experts on the latest issues and applications.
• General Sessions highlight different perspectives on global issues that affect our business.
• Roundtable sessions provide feedback and solutions to current technical challenges.
• Breaks and banquet functions present invaluable opportunities for networking with colleagues in an informal setting and “putting a face with a name.”
• Tradeshow booths provide access to the latest in equipment and technology.

…for Manufacturers, Contractors, Consultants, Specialists and Professionals?

• This three-day event affords many opportunities to meet and network with your customers in both formal business settings and informal business social environments.
• During this event SEE offers further opportunity to increase your company’s customer base, brand awareness and visibility through
  -Trade Show exhibit booths
  -Corporate Sponsorship (more info)

S.E.E. Conference Coordinator: Amy Bekele, phone: 404/233-1188
S.E.E. Trade Show Coordinator: Kendra Cutno, phone: 404/233-1188

http://www.theexchange.org/index.html

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IEEE-PES 2016 T&D Conference & Exposition

May 2-5, 2016 – Dallas, TX

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – Power & Energy Society

This event will showcase the technologies, products, companies and minds that will lead our industry through the next fifty years.

http://www.ieeet-d.org/

http://www.ieee-pes.org/

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2016 APP National Conference & Public Power Expo – American Public Power Association

June 10-15, 2016 – Phoenix, AZ

The APPA National Conference & Public Power Expo is public power’s largest annual meeting and THE place for industry suppliers to gain exposure with C-level executives and policymakers from municipally owned electric utilities. The 1,200+ attendees represent 330 unique utilities from more than 35 states.

Connect with hundreds of public power leaders from around the country, including: governing boards, city council members, mayors, general managers, senior utility executives, utility managers and future leaders responsible for policy and strategy, industry partners, including strategic thinkers and subject matter experts

Why should my company participate?

An event for conference attendees who want to learn about the latest offerings in:

• customer service;
• cyber security;
• disaster preparedness;
• energy efficiency;
• finance;
• governance & management;
• legislative & regulatory issues;
• power supply; and
• reliability & infrastructure.

The American Public Power Association represents not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities that power homes, businesses and streets in nearly 2,000 towns and cities, serving 47 million Americans.

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Learn more about our Critical Spares Management Solution for Utilities: Make electrical equipment procurement easy and efficient. Locate a matching power transformer before a failure occurs!

Transformers: An Essential Link of the Electrical Grid

Look through your office or home window. If you can see a power line, there are chances a power transformer may be in the area.

What does a transformer actually do?

These heavy pieces of equipment transform the voltage of electricity, either stepping it up for transmission lines to carry electricity from power plants over long distances; or stepping it down to carry electricity to residential and commercial areas. The large power transformers (LPTs), located in substations, can be found near power plants, transmission lines, industrial zones and residential areas. LPTs can be the size of a small house. Other transformers, on poles, are as small as a garbage bin.

Transformers are essential for utilities as they are key links of the electrical system.By the way, do not forget that your charging cords are also transformers!

 Capital investment

Utilities started to heavily invest in the electrical infrastructure in the 1960s and 1970s. The capital spending is now reaching is lowest point in 50 years, even though power consumption is increasing by 2% a year.

The following graph by ABB shows a decrease in investment with a reduced amount of transformers ordered every year. This first wave of capital spend ended in 1990s, and should be naturally followed by a wave of replacement. Nevertheless, utilities cannot always afford it and numerous have decided to extend their transformers’ life, with the drawback of increased outage and failure risks.

Risks of failure and outage

Every product goes through 3 main stages in its life-cycle, as shown on the “bathtub” graph:

“Infant Mortality” highlights failures due to defects and the quality of materials used. The end-of-life stage shows the most “natural” or logical failures due to wear and tear.

The main causes of failure are:The following elements can help determine when and how a failure would occur:

• Year (vintage)
• Manufacturer
• Operating history and Test results
• Operating environment
• Failure history

Utilities use asset management solutions which help them monitor conditions of their transformer fleet on a daily basis. Models based on algorithms are used to determine risks of outage or failure depending on the life-cycle stages and help make the right decision before an event occurs.

Who manufactures transformers?

Less than 15 companies manufacture LPTs in North America. For transformers of lower voltage, the choice is larger, but is still considered as capital investment for utilities, with increasing lead time.Price and lead time

With an average life of 40-50 years, numerous transformers are reaching their end of life. With an average lead time of 750 days and a price range from several thousands to over 7 million dollars, sourcing a transformer has become a long-term issue for utilities.

The skyrocketing prices of copper and electrical steels are the main cause of increased prices for transformers. Stricter standards also require the installation of costly monitoring devices and software.

The following table gives a better idea of the price range depending on capability and voltage.Case study

As the CEO of a utility company, your engineer in chief has let you know that a large power transformer, purchased 35 years ago, shows increased risks of failure in the next 6 months, probably due to extreme weather conditions the year before. Its replacement by a new unit is obviously already planned, but not within two years. What happens if it fails? As a small utility, you are able to manage your electricity load via other transformers, but for a short period of time. You cannot wait for a new unit and the storms alerts urge you to quickly find a plan B.

Solutions

* Life-extension: manufacturers like ABB offer specific programs to rejuvenate or refurbish transformers. Nevertheless, the transformer will eventually need to be replaced by a new unit, in order to be up to standards and grid specifications.

* Buddy system: call and email your colleagues from fellow utilities. You can be lucky and have access to a spare transformer. But it rarely happens, unless one of your colleagues works at a large utility company.

* Critical Spares, collaboration: pooling and sharing strategies are an efficient alternative in order to source transformers and other heavy equipment. Although each utility has its own territory, collaboration is essential when capital investment cannot be afforded, while maintaining a high-quality customer service.

Veracity offers a platform specifically designed for the utility sector, Veracity Connect. Through a cloud interface, utilities can get a proactive approach to critical spares management:

• Asset Management: the utility can upload its transformer/substation data including description pictures, maintenance records and current state indicators. The search for matching spares is made easier.
• Critical Spares Access: utilities can directly locate available matching spares from fellow utilities, equipment brokers and reconditioners, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and industry partners such as state/province associations.
• Surplus Management: companies can offer equipment to other utilities. These are what will contribute to the pool of available spares. It is a good way to monetize idle equipment and increase the power of collaboration.

Veracity Is Part of the CDMN’s Outbound Soft Landing Program

The Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN), a federal Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research, is dedicated to establishing Canada as a world leader in digital media (ICT + mobile) by creating and enabling connections and collaboration between entrepreneurs, companies, research institutes, government and intermediary organizations across the country. CDMN helps bring more digital media solutions to market to create more companies, jobs and wealth in Canada.

With a worldwide network, CDMN guide startup companies target new markets.

Veracity Asset Management Group (www.veracityamg.com) will participate in the Canadian Digital Media Network’s Outbound Soft-Landing Fall 2014 Program to help forge the partnerships and connections it needs for its expansion across North America.

CDMN Press Release

“Outbound Soft Landing program announces fall cohort, with new support from TD

By Emmett O’Kane on Sep 26, 2014 / Categories: CDMN News, Featured, Soft Landing

Fifteen Canadian companies have been selected to participate in the Canadian Digital Media Network’s outbound Soft Landing program this fall, and they’ll have a new supporter in their corner.TD Bank Group, North America’s sixth largest bank by branches, has partnered with the CDMN to help small- to medium-sized enterprises pursue growth in international markets.“‎TD is very pleased to be supporting the Canadian Digital Media Network Outbound Soft Landing program, which provides funding to promising startups selected by the CDMN, in order to promote their growth opportunities abroad,” said Jeff Martin, SVP & CIO Digital Channels Technology Solutions, TD Bank Group.Companies selected will receive up to $4,000 towards travel costs and a free working space at partnered locations abroad for up to three months, to help them expand into new markets and develop relationships with key contacts in targeted economies.

The Fall 2014 companies are:

Plasticity Labs

Landing: U.S. (Las Vegas)

Plasticity is building the happiest workforces every day, through an integrated mobile and web app that changes how organizations measure, manage and stimulate positive workplace culture. Its mission is to improve the experience of life, and work, for millions of people and the organizations where they work. http://www.plasticitylabs.com/

Maerospace Corp.

Landing: India

Maerospace’s mission is to improve the world through the mastery of data. Working with some of the world’s most advanced companies and nations, Maerospace turns complex data into actionable information to make missions safer, borders more secure, environmental responses more effective and companies more profitable. http://www.maerospace.com/

Slimcut Media

Landing: U.S. (New York City)

Slimcut Media helps digital publishers increase their revenue while engaging their audiences. With offices in Toronto and Paris, their platform combines a reward program, targeted video advertising and a payment system to build a symbiotic relationship between publishers and their audiences. http://www.slimcutmedia.com/

blueRover

Landing: Australia

blueRover provides a unique and advanced technology platform that offers businesses employing machine-to-machine (M2M) applications access to infinite, data-driven intelligence about their assets. With blueRover, customers can monitor, track and react to real-time data about their assets and resources from anywhere around the globe. http://www.bluerover.ca/

Bonfire

Landing: U.S. (Orlando; Dallas; Charlotte)

Bonfire prides itself on making the easiest, simplest and friendliest way for purchasers to accept and evaluate supplier proposals, tenders, quotes as part of RFx (request for information, proposal or quotation), bid projects and more. The Waterloo-based company is already trusted with over $1 billion in procurement projects with much more to come. http://www.gobonfire.com/

I Think Security

Landing: Hong Kong

I Think Security Ltd. is an award-winning R&D security lab that provides secure solutions for data, cloud and mobile. Supported by sophisticated analytics and control, and leveraging existing local infrastructure, I Think Security Ltd. products are backed by a team of security professionals experienced in designing and implementing the highest in advanced security. Its technologies are used in data protection to prevent cyber attacks, corporate espionage and insider threats. http://www.ithinksecurity.com/

Analyze Re Inc.

Landing: London, CTA@UK

Analyze Re provides pricing and risk management software for the reinsurance industry. Their innovative SaaS platform employs high-performance computing and big data analysis to unlock a holistic view of risk, enabling reinsurers to make smarter decisions, minimize their risk and maximize their profits in real time. http://www.analyzere.com/

REfficient Inc.

Landing: Mexico

REfficient.com is a matchmaking site connecting “who has what” and “who is looking for what.” Its online marketplace allows companies to buy quality Telecom, A/V and IT equipment at significant discounts from sustainable sources. REfficient shows customers that they can drive financial results while doing something good for the environment. http://www.refficient.com/

ProjectSpeaker Inc.

Landing: London; Munich; Venice

ProjectSpeaker turns event planners into event heroes. Their platform is a curated event planner resource of the world’s leading speakers, speakers bureaus and event suppliers that allows planners to be more efficient and successful in finding the best speakers for their events. http://www.projectspeaker.com/

MetricAid Inc.

Landing: U.S. (Philadelphia)

MetricAid provides browser-based technology, analysis and consultation services to improve hospital emergency department efficiency. Its goal is to improve the satisfaction of the patient, the experience of the physician and the effectiveness of the emergency department. http://www.metricaid.com/

District M Inc.

Landing: U.S. (New York City; Florida)

District M is a digital technology company that specializes in unique campaign management. Its exclusive and proprietary advertising technology segments data and user profiles, giving clients the ability to reach diverse and specific audiences at the right time. http://www.districtm.ca/

Veracity Asset Management Group

Landing: U.S (Georgia; Florida; Alabama)

Veracity Asset Management Group works with organizations across various industries to develop policies and procedures to maximize asset utilization. Veracity provides software solutions and services that enable its customers to purchase, manage and dispose of surplus assets, allowing organizations to focus on core business issues. http://www.veracityamg.com/

LemonFree.com

Landing: U.S. (California)

LemonFree.com is a fresh and simple approach to shopping for cars online. Launched in 2007 by three Winnipeg entrepreneurs, LemonFree.com is an online automotive shopping and research marketplace with the mission to become the most trusted place to shop for a car. http://www.lemonfree.com/

INETCO Systems Ltd.

Landing: London, CTA@UK

INETCO Systems offers real-time transaction monitoring and analytics software that isolates IT performance issues affecting ATM, POS, Mobile Banking and Internet Banking transactions. In addition to software, INETCO offers consulting in APM, Business Transaction Management analytics reporting, and configuration services. http://www.inetco.com/

Energy Aware Technology Inc.

Landing: U.S. (Silicon Valley)

Founded in 2005, Energy Aware Technology is a leading developer of demand management solutions for utilities and aims to improve awareness of the ways we use energy, enabling us to reduce waste, save money and become more sustainable. By analyzing energy consumption data and displaying it in a concise, useful manner, people more fully understand their energy use and how to save money. This is how Energy Aware is creating smarter, more sustainable homes. http://www.energy-aware.com/

© 2014 CDMN. All rights reserved. Contact CDMN at info@cdmn.ca for permission to reproduce in any way.”

Don’t miss a chance to get in touch with us by calling us at 866-694-1252 or info@veracityamg.com. Find out how we can help your utility company source critical spares.

Visit our website veracityamg.com and our social media platform:

September Digest: Keep Calm, Fall Is Here

September is already over. Fall entered the stage and leaves are showing a whole new range of orange and red. Here is an overview of posts we released on this blog this past month and key news from the utility industry.

Do not miss our previous newsletter and do not forget to sign up for the next one:

Blog posts

News

What happened to that national high voltage transmission system? http://ow.ly/AZaZj ““You can’t get enough clean energy from distributed resources,” said former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) chairman and staunch distributed energy resources (DERs) advocate Jon Wellinghoff.”

State governments pushing cities and utilities to get microgrids http://ow.ly/AZcSJ “The microgrid concept is gaining popularity especially in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey and New York, all of which have microgrid initiatives.”

U.S. utility’s 10-year $8.1bn transmission investments to boost economy http://ow.ly/AZXBL “The investment will bring $4.3 million in salary and benefits, along with $640 million for state and local governments, NJ Spotlight reports.”

Electric grid facing security threats from all sides http://ow.ly/B5RQ1 “”The secure and reliable delivery of electricity is a vital cornerstone of modern American society,” according to the CSPC.”

U.S.-wide blackout possible from small scale attack: FERC http://ow.ly/BhIeP “The report states that of the 55 substations in the nation, it would only take nine of them to fail in order for the whole power system to go down. The U.S. has only three separate grid systems.”

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Duke Energy set to auction off a million items from shuttered Crystal River nuclear plant http://ow.ly/BLME8 Auction is a good way to recover investment. We can help you do the same: http://ow.ly/BLMVy

Longest transmission link delivers renewable power http://ow.ly/BDWtQ “ABB has commissioned the converter stations to the 3,150 megawatt Rio Madeira High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link in Brazil. At approximately 2,400 kilometers, the power connection is the longest transmission link in the world, according to ABB.”

Boldest utilities moving to the cloud http://ow.ly/BVVCI “Cloud computing is presenting challenges for regulated utilities in that the opportunity presented by the cloud must be looked at differently in the utility industry, according to IDC Energy Insights.” http://ow.ly/i/70EiL Veracity Connect is a part of the cloud and makes things easy for utilities to source critical spares: http://ow.ly/BVW4g

The utility that wants to build microgrids for customers (should you do the same?) http://ow.ly/BOKha “”Far from threatening the utility business, as the naysayers would have it, microgrids could present new business opportunities for utilities, with two recently launched initiatives pointing the way,” says a recent article in Engerati.”

Dynegy to buy over $6B in power generation assets from Duke, ECP http://ow.ly/BYHx5 “The company plans to spend $2.8 billion on Duke’s retail business and ownership interest in several plants and $3.45 billion for assets of Energy Capital Partners, or ECP. The deal will add about 12,500 megawatts of coal and gas generation and expand Dynegy’s retail business into Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan.”

Have a great October month!

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Don’t miss a chance to get in touch with us by calling us at 866-694-1252 or info@veracityamg.com.

Visit our website veracityamg.com and our social media platform: