March 21, 2024 – This is a milestone year for both Electrical Business Magazine and me, its editor. 2024 marks 60 years of publishing industry-specific news for Canada’s electrical community, and 20 years of me serving as its steward.

As I reflect on the past 20 years, I am simply amazed by all the things that have changed, and continue to change.

Roughly two decades ago, we saw the start of massive expenditures on renewables like solar and wind… which are good technologies that get better all the time. But, if I’m honest, I feel a lot of those decisions were driven by “feel-good” political optics. Arguments at the time revolved solely around “clean” electricity versus “dirty”.

Basically, no decision was a bad decision when it included a solar panel.

Thankfully, our energy discourse has matured since then. Discussions nowadays do not simply ask us to choose between clean and dirty. Instead, we consider the importance of baseload power, and discuss the implication of emissions. We are recognizing that not every solution is good for everyone in every part of the country.

When electrical energy is a toolbox, pick the best tool for the job.

To that end, technology has gotten smarter, more versatile and visible, and a heck of a lot more interesting. Previously, unless some catastrophic failure made the news, electricity and those who manipulate it are always in the background, keeping society and industry ticking along.

Now, we regularly read about the electrification of everything, and the importance of “the grid” and resiliency, and energy security. Battery (and other) energy storage systems are now unveiled with ribbon-cutting and great fanfare. Through refurbishments and small modular reactors, we are also witnessing the renaissance of nuclear power in Canada and, frankly, across the globe.

The electrical industry is not the only sector experiencing technological excitement but, seeing as it is pretty much necessary to life as we know it, this market remains one of the most exciting places to be.

What do you see happening in the next 20 years? Email me and let me know.

— Anthony Capkun, editor-publisher, acapkun@ebmag.com.

You’ll find all Back Issues of Electrical Business Magazine in our Digital Archive.