WISE Public Lecture

Friday, November 24, 2023
How local utilities will play a key role in the Energy Transition

Title:

How local utilities will play a key role in the Energy Transition

Abstract:

The electricity sector is expected to undergo rapid changes with the emergence of electrification and the influx of distributed energy resources. This requires action from local electricity distributors like GrandBridge Energy Inc. to ensure the grid is prepared to accommodate the anticipated load growth. The introduction of the Distribution System Operator (DSO) is a new market model that provides opportunities to use local renewable energy and storage resources to improve grid resiliency.

Bio:

Presented by Umar Waqas, Vice President, Engineering & Continuous Improvement, GrandBridge Energy.

Umar Waqas is a utility sector professional who is passionate about the challenges of the 21st-century electricity grid. As Vice President of Engineering and Continuous Improvement, Umar leads the organization’s Design Services, Metering, and Distributed Energy Resource group. Umar is a registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario (P.Eng.).Umar has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Electrical) degree from McMaster University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.