Thank you to our in-person and virtual attendees who joined us for day two of Itron Inspire 2022’s Knowledge Conference. We often talk about the impacts extreme weather has on our industry. At this year’s conference, we experienced it firsthand after Hurricane Ian changed trajectory and passed near Marco Island, FL. Fortunately, everyone stayed safe. Once the hurricane was out of the area, attendees were able to head home safely.
Although Itron Inspire 2022 didn’t go as expected, the insightful discussions and engaging presentations were inspiring. Sessions during day two of the Knowledge Conference took a deep dive into a range of topics including the future of energy, preparing for cyber threats, how EVs are transforming the industry and more. Outlined below are a few of the highlights and takeaways from Itron Inspire day two.
Realizing the Value of Data
On Tuesday morning, Itron’s vice president of global marketing and public affairs, Marina Donovan welcomed attendees to day two of the Knowledge Conference and invited Tom Koulopoulos, futurist, author and chairman of the Delphi Group to the stage. Tom shared his perspective on the transition to a digital ecosystem as time moves forward and unpredictability increases. As he put it, “the catalyst for change isn’t found in the habits of yesterday, but instead the behaviors of the future.”
Looking to the future, there are many unknowns. But we do know that utilities will continue to run into a variety of challenges related to energy reliability, security, grid resiliency, infrastructure complexities and more. One element can help piece it all together: data. At the same time, Koulopoulos discussed how the amount of data created every day and every hour will soon be so immense it will be incomprehensible to humans. However, the intelligence of data-driven digital ecosystems and the capabilities they unlock are key to achieving decarbonization goals, mitigating climate disruption and eliminating water waste.