What is this talk about a Smart-Grid?  Why do I care?

Part 2 of a 2 part series.

Last month’s blog discussed the existing Grid and some of the challenges it faces.  The existing Grid has not changed much in 100 years.  Here is an interesting thought experiment.  If Alexander Graham Bell were alive today, he would not recognize how his analog telephone has morphed into a digital cell phone wirelessly carrying voice, text, and video all over the world.  But if Thomas Edison (pioneer of electricity) were alive today, he would be very familiar with our Grid.

GOAL

Last month’s blog said the Smart-Grid will connect everyone to abundant, affordable, clean, efficient, and reliable electric power anytime, anywhere. http://www.oe.energy.gov/smartgrid.htm

In a little more detail a Smart-Grid has these characteristics:

• Self-healing from power disturbance events
• Operating resiliently against physical and cyber attack
• Providing power quality for 21st century needs
• Accommodating all generation and storage options
• Optimizing assets and operating efficiently
• Enabling new products, services, and markets
• Enabling active participation by consumers in demand response

Source http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/DOE_SG_Book_Single_Pages(1).pdf

HOW DO WE MAKE THE GRID SMART?

HOW DO WE MAKE THE GRID SMART?

It means updating the technology of the Grid.  It means applying the digital computing power and communications technology to the Grid, the generators, and the consumers.  In simple terms, the Grid needs to take advantage of technology similar to what you probably use everyday: namely Personal Computers, the internet, cell phones, and home automation standards like ZigBee.

 The first three bullets relate to reliability of the Grid

• Self-healing from power disturbance events
• Operating resiliently against physical and cyber attack
• Providing power quality for 21st century needs

The Smart-Grid improves the reliability of our electricity by adding sensors through out the system that measure the quality of the electricity.  This information is automatically communicated in real-time to computers that can quickly respond and take corrective action.

The next bullet addresses a diverse set of fuel sources: coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, hydro….  It also addresses different storage options such as: batteries, compressed air, pumping water back into a hydroelectric reservoir, hydrogen,… 

• Accommodating all generation and storage options

An example of Smart-Grid technology is how it will use intermittent sources.  Storage solutions like batteries are one approach, but they can be expensive.  Another way to accommodate new intermittent sources such as wind and solar is by efficiently connecting the grid.  The US is a large country covering many time zones and weather patterns.  The wind may not be blowing or sun may not be shining where you live, but there is a pretty good chance that somewhere in the US or Canada or Mexico the conditions are favorable.  By improving the ability of the Grid to carry more electricity more efficiently, the electricity generated by these intermittent sources can be transmitted where it is needed.  One way to improve the capacity is through the use of superconductors cooled in liquid nitrogen.  They are called superconductors because they have virtually no resistance to electricity. This makes it conceivable to transmit electricity over much greater distances with less power loss.  Superconductors also take less space, so more electricity can pass through the existing right-of-ways such as high-voltage transmission corridors.

The next three bullets are good for demonstrating TOU (Time-of-Use) metering and DR (Demand Response)

• Optimizing assets and operating efficiently
• Enabling new products, services, and markets
• Enabling active participation by consumers in demand response

TIME-OF-USE and DEMAND RESPONSE

TOU and DR reduce the cost of electricity and reduce congestion on the Grid.  TOU and DR are interrelated. TOU gives you information so you can decide when you use electricity.  With DR you give the utility the ability to control when you use electricity.

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The following graph is an example of the peaks and troughs that the grid deals with today.  The graph shows morning and evening usage at about 60 kilowatts.  Daytime usage jumps to 300 kilowatts.

Source DoE -The Smart Grid: An Introduction

TOU would give you visibility into the cost structure and allow you to make better informed decisions about how you consume electricity.  So, you might choose to run the dishwasher or washing machine at night when rates are cheaper.  If you had an electric car, you could charge the battery at night when rates are lower.  TOU rates are expected to lower your overall electric bill.  

You probably would not want to manually make all these decisions.  The Smart-Grid adds intelligence to your electric meter, household appliances, electric car, etc.  Using the internet or a dedicated controller at your house, you enter simple commands that tell the Smart-Grid how you want to consume electricity.  It could be as simple as one setting that indicates how frugal you want to be.   Basically, you are telling your household appliances to operate when electric rates are below a certain price.  That price might be different for each appliance. Some choices might be undetectable such are when your refrigerator defrosts itself.  Other choices would be more obvious such as when the dishwasher runs or adjusting the temperature of your house.

The goal of DR is to smooth out the peaks and troughs in demand for electricity over the course of a day.  This smoothing function reduces the stress on the Grid and allows generation assets to be run more efficiently.  This is important because it takes many years to get approval for new high-voltage transmission lines.  DR delays the need for new lines.  DR also reduces the cost of generation.  Utilities can use more base-load generation plants and fewer peak-load generation plants.  Smoothing means fewer power plants and power lines sitting idle just to supply power for the occasional peak.  This reduces cost which ultimately you pay in your monthly electric bill.

As an example of DR is you might agree with the utility company to let your house get a little warmer on a summer day for a brief amount of time.  In return, you get a reduced rate on your electricity all year.  With a Smart-Grid, the utility sends a signal to your house which causes the air conditioner to run a little less during the peak times.

Forms of DR have been in use for years at some factories and other large consumers of electricity.  It is even being used in some regions of the country for home air conditioners.  The Smart-Grid facilitates using DR for all consumers on a variety of appliances.

WHEN WILL THE SMART-GRID ARRIVE?

To some people a Smart-Grid may sound futuristic, but much of the technology for the Smart-Grid already exists, is well proven, and financially viable.  However, standards need to be established so that all the components of the Smart-Grid can operate together.  The Department of Energy and other organizations are working on developing standards.  The problem with standards is that everybody has their own.  Either through laws or commercial dominance, standards will evolve over time.

The Smart-Grid is not a single product that is delivered at one time.  It will involve improvements and innovations throughout the Grid from the utilities, to transmission lines, to your household appliances.  The changes have already started and will continue for at least 20 years.   

Some of the biggest challenges to implementing the Smart-Grid are political and business issues.   How the Smart-Grid is implemented will determine who wins and loses in the political and business arenas.

WHY DO YOU CARE?

You are accustomed to getting reliable electricity at reasonable rates anytime of the day.  However, the world is changing and the Grid must adapt to the following:

Demand for electricity is increasing

Energy costs are increasing

Global Warming  - we have to use cleaner energy

The Smart-Grid will reliably provide more electricity using fewer fossil fuels at a lower cost.

For additional information read the Department of Energy’s The Smart Grid: An Introduction