It’s evident that the utility industry will undergo a significant digital transformation over the next 10 years. How will the convergence of new technologies, new energy sources, and an increasingly complex distribution grid affect utilities in the coming years? And how can you assure your field services teams are prepared to work as safely and efficiently as possible in this rapidly evolving environment?
This was the focus of our recent webinar, Managing Utility Field Service Digital Transformation into the Next Decade. This exclusive conversation, hosted by Epoch Solutions Group founder and CEO James Street, featured Peter Kelly-Detwiler, an acclaimed thought leader in the energy industry and a highly sought speaker, author, and consultant. Peter regularly advises energy industry leaders on the latest trends and how these developments will impact their organizations.
Insights on a Future Filled with Change
During this interactive webinar, Peter and James discussed the tremendous changes on the horizon for the utility industry, how these shifts will affect the work of field services teams, and the tools and technologies that field crews will need in order to operate safely and effectively.
A key topic was the projected impact of the industry’s move toward the “three Ds”— decarbonization, digitalization, and decentralization—three trends that will make the distribution grid increasingly dynamic and complex.
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For example, Peter and James reviewed how escalating climate risks are creating greater pressure to improve vegetation management and facilitate the work of out-of-state crews during the increasingly frequent and prolonged weather-related outages. They discussed the ways in which the continued move to solar and other renewable energy sources—along with the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the evolution to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) EVs—will make the grid more data intensive and more challenging to manage. And they outlined how these transitions will impact field crews working in low-voltage environments, creating a need for technologies that provide better situational awareness and a more accurate picture of the facts on the ground by integrating local system modeling and real-time updates.
Get More Insights
This engaging webinar offered a glimpse into the future of the distribution grid and what the utility field crews of tomorrow will need in order to complete their jobs efficiently, effectively, and safely. We invite you to download the webinar recording for insights on the trends that are already beginning to impact your utility field crews.
Schedule a demo to learn how the EpochField mobile workforce management solution can help.
About Managing Digital Transformation in Utility Field Service
According to Peter Kelly-Detwiler, the primary drivers are the decentralization of the grid through Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), the escalating frequency of extreme weather events, and the urgent need to modernize aging infrastructure.
As grid complexity increases with bi-directional power flows and intermittent resources, having a unified data view ensures that both back-office teams and field crews are making decisions based on the exact same, real-time information.
Volatile weather patterns create rapidly changing environments where safety risks emerge in minutes; therefore, field crews require digital tools that provide instant data updates rather than relying on static or outdated information.
A map-centric interface, like EpochField, visualizes complex data geographically, making it easier for field workers to digest vast amounts of information, locate assets quickly, and understand situational hazards without being overwhelmed.
