ENERGY MANAGEMENT
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S erving four northwestern US states of Washington , Idaho , Oregon and Montana , and providing electricity to 389,000 customers and natural gas to 357,000 , Avista is a utility provider which strives to serve its customers differently . For Pat Dever , Chief Data Strategist at Avista , this means committing to an achievable sustainability strategy that serves all of Avista ’ s customers regardless of socioeconomic status , a democratic data system to provide innovative insights and ensuring the grid ’ s readiness for a carbon-efficient future . Avista is committed to providing carbon neutral electricity by the end of 2027 and to deliver 100 % clean energy by 2045 .
When working with an energy grid that has primarily served a fossil fuel economy for decades , ensuring the grid is prepared for a shift towards a higher percentage of the population using greener energy and technologies is integral to a successful transition .
“ That ’ s really one of our biggest challenges , I think ,” says Dever . “ Our distribution systems are ageing . We are actively investing and updating those distribution systems , but the capacity for energy was based on the past , and so as technologies such as electric vehicles ( EVs ) come into place , that is going to put a greater load on the system .”
As EVs gradually become more widespread , Avista is utilising this intermediary period to make
JANUARY 2020