i really like models of equipment and grids stuff. There was a crowd around a model showing all manner of renewable generations and a country side representing a grid. Toshiba had a super interactive model that showed details of the renewable generation in drawers.

I’ll have to go back when it isn’t full of people and get the full story. It was fascinating to watch.

This is a fascinating thing to watch taking place right before your eyes. The depth of field this art work is starting to show - wow.

I just hit the GE exhibit. They have a screen the size of your typical 1950s Drive-In (maybe they are really into the PES Fabulous Fifties Florida theme, but in a high tech way). Anyway, this screen is super interactive. They have an entire grid in 3D - dispatch, transmission, distribution, feeders, wide area, you name it they have it.

I could place a fault on a transformer, see the internal workings, and the results on the network. I could play with VAR balancing. It was fantastic. Don’t miss it. I played with it and now have a bunch of other questions. I’m planning to go back and see it again.

In NOLA, I ran afoul with the security folks and was asked to leave the floor. My crime - I had a camera! That is a no no. I had to go to the principal’s (Barbara Powell’s) office and get a staff badge. The security folks were just doing their job.

Late this afternoon history repeated itself. I was walking up to a friend and two security guards surrounded me and told me I had to leave. Then they saw my badge. “No problems mate - your staff.” To paraphrase. My bright ORANGE shirt didn’t alert them. They just saw this camera (the size of a small kitchen appliance). I was an easy target.

They told me all about the problems they were having and to have a nice day (in the words of the Hunger Games - and the odd be ever in my favor).

It is really developing. I can almost tell what is going to be in the final picture.

I was wandering around the show floor when I ran into my buddy Mike Beehler at the Burns & McDonnell booth. He has an artist drawing caricatures of anyone that will sit still for a short time. It is a real hoot. I had to take part - of course. You can see the results at EventToons.com

What is spring spring? Well, you might ask the folks at HVB and see what they say. It is a very cool application. They also have

resistors in their breakers. Ask them why that is special.

The artists are making headway. It is starting to take shape!

There are manufacturers from around the world here. It is amazing at the numbers of suppliers and the depth of the product they are offering. This beats Epcot for an international flavor.

I found one of the coolest displays. Cooper has a tree growing into a distribution line. I tried to get a video of this with all the sparks and flashing, but it just didn’t work. Go over there and see for yourself.

They told me they would be doing this every 15 minutes all day long. I love the way they know the power out and then smart grid technology takes over and restores the most customers.