Wildfires: Stopping This Recurring Nightmare

"It will never happen to us.”

Well, that belief has been resoundingly disproven. Every year, grid asset induced and non-grid induced wildfires are ravaging communities throughout the US, and internationally.

Worst case scenarios are occurring in perennial fashion. Whether you do, or do not subscribe to the concept of climate change, there is no denying that hotter, dryer conditions are fueling increased wildfire events, and oftentimes catastrophic damages.

As the 2019 bankruptcy filing of a large US investor-owned utility has proven, wildfire-driven corporate liability is now a genuine concern. Worst case scenarios are becoming common.

Today’s public opinion and political leadership present a terribly challenging scenario for our valued utility operators. In addition to ensuring that all households receive reliable electricity service, operators are now expected to accommodate a series of grid-edge advancements. The first fundamental problem facing operators is that our distribution grid architecture was not built, nor even conceived to successfully support a growing series of unplanned grid-edge demand.

Most utility transformer fleets were deployed decades ago. While periodic replacements do occur, the substantial majority of transformers were sized and installed long before today’s grid-edge demands were ever imagined. For example, operators were not able to foresee massive rooftop solar deployments driving reverse energy into our grids. Nor were they able to envision widespread Electric Vehicle charging stations being installed at the residential level.

These two grid-edge developments alone are presenting stressful demand upon our aging transformer infrastructure. Utility operators are already seeing an uptick in transformer failures, costly power outages, transformer fires, wildfire risk, public safety risk, corporation liability risk, environmental damage, insurance costs and massive greenhouse gas emissions events. Couple those realities with climate change impacts (e.g., hotter, dryer conditions), and we have the recipe for terrible outcomes — which now occur annually. For anyone who doubts this reality, research the mind-boggling wildfire devastation facts associated with the 2017 Napa Fire, the 2018 Paradise California disaster, the 2020 Oregon wildfires, the 2020 California wildfires, the 2020 Australia wildfires, etc. The empirical data is undeniable, and it is sobering. Yet, few have taken the time to sufficiently connect the dots, and recognize the quietly aggregating problems that are now manifesting within and around our grids, as we eagerly pursue various climate change goals.

While all of this reality is unfolding, few people are understanding the correlation among the ongoing wildfire disasters, the series of demands being placed upon utility operators, and the aging infrastructure upon which we aspire to achieve a series of climate change improvements.

The fact is, while we are trying to assert climate change improvements, we are creating a series of offsetting negative outcomes. Annual damage costs, fatalities, injuries, emitted greenhouse gases, liabilities exposure, increasing insurance costs, localized economic damage, stressed state budgets, etc. are collectively compounding as a result of wildfires.

While not all wildfires are grid asset failure induced, many have been. And this trend will continue until we truly recognize and meaningfully address this painful, undeniable reality.

Calling attention to this situation is not a scare tactic. Rather, it is a necessary reality-check. If we will require operators to deliver reliable electric service while adopting a series of unplanned grid-edge impacts, all occurring upon an aging infrastructure, then we had better get serious about providing them the necessary tools. Successful grid-edge adoption of pervasive rooftop solar integration and residential EV charging stations — in the name of climate change goals — will not magically occur. Technology is required to solve this problem.

Innovative Technology to The Rescue

It is financially impractical, and logistically impossible to replace our transformer fleets with new assets. But, our transformers are the unavoidable on ramp to our developing grid-edge initiatives. In essence, wherever rooftop solar and/or residential EV charging stations are installed, an upstream transformer is then tasked with handling the unplanned load.

While this situation may sound trivial, it is not. Using best-estimated standards and averages, all transformers are sized and deployed for an anticipated load, or demand. But when new unanticipated grid-edge developments such as rooftop solar and residential EV charging stations are introduced, existing transformer assets are prone to quickly becoming undersized.

This results in overload, accelerated end-of-life for the assets, power outages, a potential transformer fire, wildfire risk, and so forth. In other words, this unfolding scenario is the recipe for imminent disaster. This reality is already unfolding throughout North America, and beyond. However, by embracing the use of cost-effective intra-grid sensors, utility operators can now achieve necessary ongoing visibility into their transformer fleets; for the first time ever.

Historically, operators are unaware of developing load/overload conditions on their transformer assets until a trouble call, power outage, or worse is reported. This reactive condition prohibits operators from foreseeing the manifesting intra-grid concerns, or pre-empting imminent asset failures. This is how grid-induced fires/wildfires result, leaving a wake of pain and cost.

But, via the introduction of fast-to-install intra-grid sensors, operators can now gain immediate, and ongoing visibility throughout their transformer fleets, and therefore throughout their grids.

Addressing Reality

By recognizing that existing transformer fleets present us with a unique opportunity, we can take action to avoid wildfire occurrences, and reduce wildfire-related impacts. Because overhead transformers are located throughout our populated areas, they present a viable foundation for a unique sensor network.

Specifically, by leveraging our existing overhead transformer fleets, cost-effectively retrofitted with specially designed sensors, we can create a game-changing fire mitigation solution.

GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET presents an always on, outdoor, overhead sensor canopy solution; designed for the purposes of Preventing, Early Detecting, and Auto Alerting. Giving operators and authorities unique awareness to developing fire/wildfire conditions. Additionally, this fire mitigation solution will provide Situational Awareness during already-unfolding events.

GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET provides continuous intra-grid monitoring capability. The resulting sensor data reveals a series of dynamic intra-grid conditions. Then auto alerts advise operators when problematic grid situations are detected. This fulfills a first-ever, comprehensive, proactive intra-grid visibility feature for our operators. Given the aforementioned rooftop solar and/or residential EV Charging Station implications, GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET enables operators to maintain necessary over-sight of their transformer fleets and associated intra-grid volatilities; which otherwise typically go unchecked until a trouble call, power outage, or worse is reported.

In turn, Prevention of transformer and/or grid-related asset failures can now be achieved. This same fire mitigation intra-grid sensor solution also provides ongoing ground/fire surface temperature data, ambient temperature, outdoor smoke/gas detection, humidity sensing, and other options. This suite of sensing capabilities enables early detection and auto alerting. Whether a fire/wildfire is catalyzed by a grid asset failure, or a separate source (e.g., lightning, arson, etc.), the GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET solution delivers fire mitigation value. Additionally, as unpreventable fires/wildfires occur, GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET affords critical situational awareness capability for operators and/or first responders.

Summary

GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET creates an always-on outdoor, over-head monitoring and public safety protection solution while simultaneously presenting operators (and First Responders) with vital, timely, accurate, reliable data. This actionable data addresses our required Prevention, Early Detection, Auto Alerts, and Situational Awareness needs.

As we strive to accomplish multiple Climate Change initiatives, we must realize that unintended negative impacts are now arising. Thereby setting the stage for increased grid asset failures, fires and wildfires. Overlooking or dismissing these realities is both unwise, and dangerous.

The emerging GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET technology provides a viable solution for squelching our perennial wildfire nightmares, whether they be grid or non-grid induced.

Prevention is always the top priority; GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET checks this box. But when unavoidable fires/wildfires occur, early detection, automated alerts and situational awareness are vital. GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET also checks these boxes. Simply, this technology delivers a series of imperative value propositions leading to improved public safety protections, environmental damage reductions, utility corporation liability risk reduction, extensive cost reductions for utility operators and state/local governments and all stakeholders, plus facilitates improved and safe integration of today’s climate change-inspired grid-edge advancements.

To successfully achieve our ongoing climate change initiatives, while preserving or improving necessary grid Reliability and increasing public safety protections, we must employ cost-effective technology to steward the process. GRIDWIDE FIRE-NET presents this solution.