It's possible to conserve the environment by consuming fewer natural resources, or by using the resources more efficiently, or both. The smart grid benefits the environment by helping society use energy -- specifically, electricity -- more efficiently.
What Is the Smart Grid?
Far from being an object, the smart grid is an umbrella term for a set of technologies that has a common goal -- to increase the efficiency of electricity generation, transmission and distribution. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that a 5% increase in the efficiency of the nation's electrical grid would be equivalent to eliminating fuel and emissions from 53 million cars.
A smart grid comprises many components, including:
- Smart transmission of electricity from the power plant to substations
- Smart distribution from substations to consumers such as residences and businesses
- Smart meters
- Smart sockets
- Smart devices and appliances, such as refrigerators, air conditioners and office machines.
The "smarts" in the smart grid come from advanced sensors that monitor electricity quality, automation controls that self-heal the network and two-way communications between power producers and consumers. These smart products and technologies can turn the current grid from a passive conveyor of electricity to one that actively manages loads, senses demand and enables appliances to "talk" to the grid.
Benefits of a Smart Grid
A smart grid provides many benefits to electricity producers and consumers, such as:
- More efficient usage of electricity, resulting in reduced power generation, in turn leading to curtailed emissions of greenhouse gases and depletion of fossil fuels.
- Ability to cope with growing demand for electricity without building new power plants.
- Demand forecasting, enabling startup of standby generators as needed.
- Reduced power consumption by users. Consumers will know ahead of time how much electricity will cost at a certain day or hour, and will be able to adjust their demand accordingly.
- Seamless connection to the grid of multiple power sources like solar panels, wind turbines, microhydro, fuel cells and combined heat and power generators. Electricity from these sources will be checked for quality, cleaned and blended seamlessly with utility power. Consumers who generate more electricity than they need will be able to return their excess power to the grid for a credit.
- Storage of energy on the grid.
- Elimination of cascading grid failures, such as the one that occurred in Ontario and the northeastern and midwestern U.S. on August 14, 2003, and affected 50 million people.
Obstacles to Implementing the Smart Grid
Modernizing the American electrical grid is a mammoth task. Apart from the expense of installing new hardware and software all through the infrastructure, attitudes will also need to be changed. Adjustments must be made all through the network, involving utilities, regulators, vendors, energy service providers and consumers.
Utilities traditionally supply power in a single direction -- toward consumers. Accommodating the two-way traffic of the smart grid requires an overhaul of business models and mindsets.
Still, many utilities have begun upgrading their grids, taking the first steps in the evolution of a nationwide smart grid. And while the smart grid will take years -- perhaps decades -- to be fully implemented, it will be worth the wait.
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