Electricity Fundamentals & Restructuring

Flick a switch, and your lights turn on. But so much happens behind the scenes to bring that energy instantly to you. 

After completing the 2-day Oak Leaf course, Electricity Fundamentals & Restructuring, you will grasp the whys & hows of electricity — gaining fuller understanding of the technologies, systems & markets operating in the background, enabling that flicked switch to deliver light.

Day 1 is about basics, from how electricity functions to ways it may be generated, transmitted, bought, sold, distributed & used. 

You learn about recent electricity technological innovation & evolution (including renewables development, advances in small nuclear, amazing battery breakthroughs & more).

You also discover how the Smart Grid is transforming electricity storage, transmission, distribution & pricing.  Finally, we discuss evolving policy, such as net-zero implications for electricity.

Day 2 covers electricity industry restructuring, an ongoing global trend.  Alberta’s electricity industry restructured early & now is more of a marketplace than a utility. Other provinces, like Ontario, have restructured differently, according to their needs.

We explain why jurisdictions restructure & why restructuring will continue. How does restructuring affect the Canadian public? Your organization?  Your career?  We consider all these questions with you & the other participants.

Electricity industry veteran Chris Best is your guide, bringing 25+ years of experience to the course. 

Not only does Chris present electricity basics, but because he has been working at the cutting edge of the industry—dealing with emissions mitigation & renewable energy technologies—he also explains the vital role electricity plays in our increasingly carbon constrained world.

A few good reasons for attending this electricity course:

• To learn how electricity affects your organization & your role
• To fill electricity knowledge gaps
• To ask real-time questions of the instructor, Chris Best, an approachable electricity expert
• To grasp how generation, transmission & distribution provide electricity effectively to consumers
• To understand electricity transactions & markets: the many ways to buy, sell & profit from electricity
• To discover the latest technical innovations in electricity & the purposes they serve
• To consider electricity’s future technical promise & possible restructuring pathways

Some important questions the electricity course answers:

• The basics: what is electricity & how does it behave?
• The essentials: how do generation, transmission & distribution interact to power society?
• The evolution: in this century, many jurisdictions have shifted from coal-fired electricity generation to other forms. What are these forms? How are things working out?
• The economics: how can money be made from electricity in the 2020’s? (Hint: read next 4 points!)
• The policies: how has policy & regulation changed in Canada? What do policy trends look like?
• The environment: how can a greater role for electricity in the energy mix reduce carbon emissions?
• The technologies: Batteries, smart metering, CCS, renewables, small nuclear, hydrogen & other developing technologies — what will they do for Canadians, not to mention the rest of the world?
• The future: will electricity evolution become revolution?  What may hold it back or push it forward?

Electricity Course Outline

Electricity Fundamentals

• Introduction
• Basic Concepts
• Electricity Industry Overview
• Generation
• Transmission
• Distribution
• System Operations
• Pricing & Rates
• Regulation & Ownership
• Electricity & the Environment
• Wind Energy & Other Options for the Energy Mix

Electricity Restructuring

• Introduction
• Industry Restructuring in Canada & abroad
• Wholesale Market Operation
• Retail Market Operation
• Capacity Market Operation
• The Burgeoning Smart Grid
• Alberta Wholesale Market
• Alberta Market Governance
• Ontario Power Market
• US Market Example
• Conclusions

Electricity Course Support Materials & Assessment

• Quizzes, participant-centered activities & access to videos shown in class
• A course completion certificate & 16 Personal Development Hours (PDH)
• Industry case studies, economic models & other exercises

Who Should Attend The Electricity Course?

• Newcomers to the Electricity industry
• People already working in Electricity looking for more comprehensive understanding of their field
• First Nations considering entry to electricity markets & renewables projects on their traditional lands
• Power producers, transmission entities, distributors
• Regulators
• Government agencies
• Utilities
• Energy marketers
• Investment firms
• Consulting groups

• Business Analysts
• Financial Analysts & Planners
• Advisors
• Consumer Mediation Officers
• Policy Analysts
• Auditors
• Energy Lawyers