IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - January/February 2015 - 4

from the editor

Mel Olken

r&d efforts
another look at Europe

OUR MARCH 2014 ISSUE CERTAINly gave us an insight into the European
perspectives of their electric power system. Its massive electrical system serves
more than 500 million people and generates in excess of 3,000 TWh annually
utilizing a mix of fossil, nuclear, hydro,
and an ever-increasing renewals production. The transmission grid contains
some 300,000 km of lines and cables,
while the distribution system consists of
500,000 km. The grid is presently going
through great changes dictated by the European Union's (EU) plans to fully integrate national energy markets.
In addition, the EU has set targets to
drive the continent toward a high-efficiency, low-carbon economy. Binding legislation has set climate and energy goals
for 2020 which are referred to as "20-2020" targets; a 20% reduction (from 2000)
in emissions, 20% energy from renewables, and a 20% efficiency improvement.
Significant change will be required to
achieve these targets. Financial backing by
the EU of €80 billion is being provided to
help insure that the goals are met.

In This Issue
With this as background, Chavdar Ivanov of ENTSO-E has taken the lead in
providing seven enlightening feature
articles for this issue reviewing the R&D
efforts that are both ongoing and planned
to meet the EU dictates. The articles are
quite all-inclusive beginning with a historical view of the evolution of the European grid and culminating with three
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPE.2014.2362474
Date of publication: 7 January 2015

IEEE power & energy magazine

installation. It was installed on the vessel
in 1880, as Thomas Edison, an ultimate
entrepreneur, looked for all opportunities
to promote his incandescent light bulb. The
installation consisted of four dynamos
and 120 incandescent lamps.
This column offers a vivid
description of the ship, the
electrical installation, as
well as its history until
its unfortunate sinking in 1907. Truly an
electrical "first" story
well told.
The "In My View"
column by Pihl Byriel, the
head of R&D at Energinet in
IMAGE LICENSED
Denmark, offers a fitting conBY GRAPHIC STOCK
clusion to the issue theme. Mr.
General Meeting
Byriel
reviews
the ongoing transition takHighlights
ing
place
within
the EU grid justifying the
The 2014 Power & Energy Society (PES)
General Meeting is covered in the issue's accompanying R&D efforts, but he makes
"Society News" column. The meet- the strong argument that R&D may not be
ing, held 27-31 July at National Harbor, the only effort that is required. He states
Maryland, United States, was an unqual- a case for the consideration of innovation
ified success. Attendance set a record for and deployment in the overall equation
the meeting, and the entire program was and justifies his arguments with cogent
very well received by the attendees. We reasoning and examples of the need for
offer a summary and photo collage of the these other considerations.
event to refresh the memories of those
who experienced it and as an enticement Award-Winning Magazine
to join us at the 2015 PES General Meet- I am pleased to be able to share with you
ing in Denver, Colorado, United States, the news that IEEE Power & Energy
on 26-30 July 2015. "Society News" Magazine received a Merit Award from
offers a tribute to a PES and power indus- the Society of Technical Communicatry giant, Charles L. (Chuck) Wagner, tions for our 2013-2014 issues, a tribute
who passed away on 4 August 2014.
to the efforts of our Editorial Board,
Our "History" column, about the saga guest editors, authors, and reviewers
of the SS Columbia by Associate Editor for together with outstanding support from
History Carl Sulzberger, is in some ways our IEEE Publications staff.
p&e
the story of the world's first microgrid

articles providing examples of ongoing
research.
I refer you to the "Guest Editorial"
where Chavdar provides the overview
to the issue as well as a lucid
introduction to the specifics of the articles. And
I offer my thanks to
Chavdar for providing our readers with a cogent
and informative
picture of what
is happening and
what is planned for
this critical and vital
region of our world.

january/february 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - January/February 2015