1. plugged in
The energy and utility sector is an
exciting and cutting edge place to be
right now, with the industry undergoing
major changes. Seeing what these
changes bring determines how we
interpret them, and where some see
challenges I see opportunities.
I have seen a lot of interest and
movement from a range of industry
players across North America looking for
a similar outcome; to leverage the latest
technology and services to enhance
the reliability, resilience, efficiency,
and longevity of their system while
reducing their resource consumption
and costs. They are not necessarily
building their systems out, but refining
and modernizing their existing
infrastructure. This is especially true
for many of our power utility clients,
whose traditional business model is
being challenged by new technologies,
new market participants, decentralized
generation, and lower prices for
renewables and storage solutions
available to customers.
There is also a strong industry focus
on developing more resilient systems
to mitigate disturbances and outages
caused by severe weather that can cost
millions, as well as withstanding the
changing global market conditions and
the push towards a low carbon future.
While these pose challenges for the
utilities, they can serve as opportunities
for Stantec to develop comprehensive
solutions to meet our client’s evolving
needs. We need to consider how we can
create a vibrant and profitable business
in today’s changing energy industry.
This will require a more innovative,
proactive, and diversified approach
compared to our “business as usual”.
While working in the Fredericton,
NB office, I learned that ‘out of great
challenges come great solutions’.
Challenges in the industry pushed
for innovation and finding more
efficient ways to do things. When we
went after the PowerShift Atlantic
Project, our office (let alone Stantec),
had never been a part of such a project
before – working with multiple electric
utilities, academia, system operators,
governments, and technology providers
to develop a unique and functional
smart grid solution to more effectively
integrate wind power generation onto
the grid. No one in our office really
had any expertise in this area. Our
advantage was that we had worked with
the utilities for years and developed a
trusting relationship with them. We
understood their systems, the utility
business model, their processes and
standards, and the local infrastructure.
This was the foundation that allowed
us to develop innovative solutions for
the utilities; with the understanding of
smart grid concepts and solutions being
secondary. I remember telling the project
lead, Mark Wilson, that I had some
experience with renewables and energy
efficiency, but smart grid concepts were
new to me. He handed me a larger binder
of articles, academic journals, case
studies, and programs - all on smart grid
and renewables integration and told
me to read through it, because we were
going to learn it. And our team did. Aside
from self-education and research, the
Seeing Opportunities
in Challenges
By Julie Bunker

2. Q2 2016
team also brought in a subject matter
expert sub-consultant and hired a new
graduate from the university who had
been studying this area. This allowed
our team to develop and learn the
information required to successfully
take the utilities through a five year long
research and demonstration project. It
also kept 10 Stantec employees occupied,
grossed over $7 million in revenue, and
won Stantec an award for Recognition
for Engineering Excellence Industrial/
Energy. It has since led to continued
work in this area.
This opportunity was not handed to us;
we created it. With utilities across North
America facing similar challenges, every
member of our team has the opportunity
to create success stories.
I recognize every power system is
different and has its own unique
challenges. For example, the solution
we created for the Maritime utilities is
not feasible here in Alberta. However,
we can still draw on lessons learned
and experiences gained that apply to
most utility clients. Stantec is well
positioned to provide comprehensive
solutions for our power clients. We are in
the unique position where we can offer
a diverse suite of services, experience,
learnings, and knowledge that we can
leverage across North America. I think
this is what sets us apart from much of
our competition. But in order to do this
successfully we need to get better at
using the tools that connect us with the
right people and skill sets that already
exist within our company. We also
need to demonstrate our leadership by
creating opportunities and proactively
approaching our clients on our
willingness to provide more value added
services and participate in helping them
improve and modernize their systems.
I see great opportunity in working with
our clients to shift this market evolution
from being an incumbent threat to
being a new business opportunity and
new revenue stream. Engaging in this
area of the industry ultimately allows
us to best serve our clients current and
future needs, providing more efficient
and resilient energy solutions to improve
operations and their bottom line. The
power industry is changing, and we can
either embrace it and change with it,
or struggle and be changed by it. The
opportunity is ours!