Assignment #1

Energy Grid

An energy or electric grid is a network of power plants and transformation lines that carry more than 450,000 miles of high-voltage transmission to consumers. After the electric power is generated at different power plants, these transmission lines move it to different substations. Then, a local system of lower-voltage transmission lines brings that energy to householders, businesses, and etc.

Additionally, a smart grid is a computerized network of electricity distribution and transmission. One of the main features of the smart grid is automation technology that enables control centers to adjust each individual device remotely. One of the advantages of the smart grid is the possibility of raising efficiency in the energy sector. Typically, monitoring of energy distribution requires many workers that need to go to different consumers, read meters, and record data manually. Smart grids give experts the option of gathering and analyzing such data in a faster, more technological way. Smart grids could also eliminate and significantly decrease blackouts and offer more reliability to the consumers.

On the other hand, one of the cons of smart grids is the significant cost associated with rebuilding these centers. Experts estimate that it would cost millions of dollars in federal funds to change the systems and turn them into smart grids.

 

References:

http://energy.gov/articles/top-9-things-you-didnt-know-about-americas-power-grid

http://energy.gov/oe/services/technology-development/smart-grid

https://electrical-systems-lighting.knoji.com/pros-and-cons-of-the-smart-grid/

http://smartgrid.ucla.edu/

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