The modern electrical and power supply was first introduced in Pearl street station New York, where a 100 volt generator is able to light up several bulbs in the city during 1882. It was the beginning of the brightest technology progress in the United Stated, whereas the government conducted Thomas Edison’s invention of direct current. However, some particular challenges stimulates when the development of AC or alternating current is trying to replace Edison’s DC power grid as an alternative source of energy. When the flaws had decreased, the Federal government took in hold in distributing the power supplies, reaching some regions to benefit the new technology (“The Electricity Grid: A history”). In decades, from a simple invention of direct wirings providing energy to some parts of America, a bigger power plant, transmitter and transmission lines had paved its way in larger distribution of electrical supplies all through out the states. (see Fig.1). The grid operating system has been divided into three major states in America; the Eastern Interconnected System, the Western Interconnected System, and the Texas Interconnected System. This is the government’s idea to distribute the power and make it accessible to some regions and affordable to U.S. consumers (“Power Grid Technology”).
The U.S power grid
However, the population is growing rapidly and technology gadgets are outgoing the market, there is a change in power distribution, in which the government is trying to respond (in particular the U.S. Department of Energy team). The creation of Smart Grid system helps to monitor the sufficient power flow and the smart meters (see fig. 2) identifies how much power being used by the consumer.
Smart meter
This is not meant to control but to ease possible scarcity problems in the future. Some of the purposes of Smart grid technologies as an essential from Energy Independence and Security Acts 2007 are; to amplify the digital and informational technology system usage, protect the cyber system, expand the other energy resources, bringing in the new smart technologies and gadgets in the market schemes and incorporate and adopt new smart technology systems (Sorebo & Echols, 3). Recently there are still some issues in terms the future risks and electric pricing of the smart technology, indeed this eventually speaks of an idea that nothing is permanent and perfect.
Works Cited
Sorebo, Gilbert N. & Echols, Micahel C. Smart Grid Security: An End-to-end View of Security in the New Electrical Grid. Floida: Taylor and Francis Group. 2012. Print
Penner, Peter Fox. Smart Power: Climate Change, the Smart Grid and the Future of Electric Utilities. Washington, DC: Island Press. 2010. Print
“The Electricity Grid”. Burn an Energy Journal (n.d.) : (n.pag.). Web. http://burnanenergyjournal.com/the-electricity-grid-a-history/. 14 September 2013
This is an awesome post! I really liked how you started out by providing background information about the first generator that was only powering a few lightbulbs. It’s so interesting to compare the technological advancements of our age with what was considered advanced in the 19th century. It’s great for understanding what a power grid is and how it actually works, starting at its grass roots.
Thank you Gianna for your kind thoughts. I am glad you enjoyed reading my blog.