Winter 2013 Forum    

Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Implementation and Applications

December 6 2013
Chemeketa Community College Center of Business and Industry, Salem

The Pacific Northwest has a long history of leadership and experimenting with Smart Grid Applications  

and Implementation models.  For our Winter Forum we explored the largest of the 16 smart grid demonstration projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project involves about 60,000 metered customers, and contains many key functions of the future smart grid. 

As a local participant in this project Portland General Electric discussed both the Salem Smart Power Project which is testing how to store solar and wind energy in the electrical grid and how to make the best use of renewable energy sources that change with the weather as well as its larger smart grid initiatives. 

We also explored smart grid specific applications such as demand management/response, batteries and energy storage systems for smart grid applications as well as smart grid enabled appliances and equipment.

Oregon APEM also presented its annual Energy Manager of the Year at this forum.  This year's recipient was Chris Milan, with Bonneville Power, for his work with the "Chip Pretreatment Interstage Screen Project" at the Norpac Pulp and Paper Mill in Longview, Washington.

Presentations:

Wayne Lei, PhD, PGE Corporate R&D, Smart Grid Programming - Portland General Electric

Ronald B. Melton, PhD, Project Director - Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project

Tim Wolf, Director of Marketing, Smart Grid Solutions –Itron

Allen L. Burns, VP Business Development,  PK Energy Solutions

Tour Host, Portland General Electric - Salem Smart Grid Center