Whew, it was hot out there. With record setting temperatures across Ontario (36 degrees Celsius with the Humidex, that’s almost 100 Fahrenehit for our friends south of the border), we all are becoming accustomed to the whir of the air conditioner. While the Independent Electricity Supply Operator (IESO) didn’t report any records being broken, Ottawa Hydro was still asking people to conserve. So in the spirit of saving energy, I decided not to do the yard work and just sit back and think about the Digital Economy and any connections to Energy.
Energy is a key component of the Canadian Economy. Did you know that according to DFAIT Canada exports over $172 Million worth of energy daily? While these exports are measured physically by volume (well sort of, with electricity) the management of the proper flows is done digitally. The reliable flow of energy is managed digitally thought the use of SCADA systems. For those of us in in Ontario and Quebec, we appreciate how connected the electrical grid is following the Aug 14, 2003 blackout. For those out west, we see the pipelines and the tankers move back anf forth across the landscape transferring their precious cargo. Ditto in the east for the massive ships moving their cargo from the platforms. The movement of these goods is carefully orchestrated to ensure safe and reliable delivery. While some of us may see this daily as part of our work, some Canadians don’t see this part of the economy.
What all Canadians see is the delivery side of the energy equation. That rapidly spinning electrical meter on the hottest days, or the gas meter on the coldest days. Big changes are underway for the delivery side of the energy business. The Smart Grid is being rolled out across North America. Here in Ottawa, Ottawa Hydro has deployed smart meters and the PeakSaver program. These digitally enabled tools help individuals contribute to conservation and one day monitor and manage their energy usage. Cloud based tools like Microsoft Hohm empower individuals to better manage their energy usage by highlighting straightforward recommendations for savings.
Clearly Energy is a key part of the (digital) Economy that should be considered as we look to make recommendations for how make Canada a leader world wide.
