Dear Readers,
I am most thankful that in trying times like these, we still manage to focus on our tasks at hand, the daily things that keep life on track. In the power industry we must do that, or the lights don’t shine, the factories shut down and normal life as we know it comes to a halt. In the media industry, that means we need a continuous flow of great content to share with each other in the Transformer Technology community. Once again, our authors, interviewees and staff came through.
It is especially gratifying because we stretched our wings a bit this month, by adding content outside the direct realm of transformers and we did it for a reason. In June and beyond, we will be adding another aspect to our community, Power Systems Technology. While the heart of the system is the transformer, there is so much more to the power system that we will begin to address. This issue is merely the beginning. While we will always stay true to our roots, Transformer Technology, we will also focus on those components of the system that are impacted by or have an impact on transformers.
In June and beyond, we will be adding another aspect to our community, Power Systems Technology.
If I could go back to university and change my major, it would be to become a Systems Engineer rather than a mechanical one. Why? Because the system that an asset is in is much more important than any one asset within that system, and as assets become more complex, more solid state than electromechanical, then looking at the whole is often the best way to understand the impact any one asset has on the overall results produced by the system. In the case of electrical systems, that result is safe, clean, cost effective and quality power.
Add to the fact that a resilient or reliable grid requires that we consider every part of that grid to work together to accomplish the desired result. Speaking of reliability, the past few decades of work in the power reliability world has taught me that all reliability begins with design. The design of the system and the assets that make up that system. Unfortunately, we seldom get to design brand new systems, hopefully something that is changing globally as economies look to rebuild infrastructure. Usually, we must upgrade existing systems by adding new technology and new assets into an older existing system. That is why we bring Power Systems Technology thinking and content to our community. Given that transformers are usually the oldest part of an existing system, the addition of a lot of newer technology means we must expect there to be an impact either on the high side or low side of the transformer.
Change can be challenging. It usually is. But it can also be exciting, as we belive it is in our industry. Join us as we begin to address how technology can and will impact these changes for building new grids and updating existing ones.
Also, the rapid increase in the use of monitoring systems and advances in transformer component design means we need to expand our thinking when it comes to the heart of the system – transformers.
Change can be challenging. It usually is. But it can also be exciting, as we believe it is in our industry. The rapid decline in the use of coal, at least in Europe and North America, the reluctance to build nuclear power generation, the need for vastly more power to support the electrification of transportation and the response to global climate change are all going to impact the rate of change within the power system. Join us as we begin to address how technology can and will impact these changes for building new grids and updating existing ones.
Alan M Ross
CRL, CMRP
Editor in Chief
APC Media
Technical Director
