We use energy day in and day out most of it being fuel energy but some of it being electricity. From turning on a light switch to charging your phone or electricity, electrical power is a part of our daily lives. However how does it work? Magic? Currently electricity in the U.S. is generated mainly through the power grid. The power grid is “network of power plants and transformers connected by more than 450,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines”. The electricity formed by theses power plant are never stored ,which means electricity is served by demand. We use bout 110 volts per household however the high voltage is need to transmit the power long distances. To control the level of energy being sent to the need source , transformers are put in place between the power plants and the various power towers that supply energy to households and businesses.Here is a video that best explains the process:
Though the energy grid model has worked for quite some time there is room fro improvement. Consumer demands are increasing rapidly and the infrastructure is unable to meet these demands efficiently . Thus the need of a change. As stated by energy.gov , “the Recovery Act, the Department invested about $4.5 billion in grid modernization to enhance the reliability of the nation’s grid. Since 2010, these investments have been used to deploy a wide range of advanced devices, including more than 10,000 automated capacitors, over 7,000 automated feeder switches and approximately 15.5 million smart meter.”
Seeing the need for an improved method of delivering energy, alternatives such as wind and solar power have become options. The most prominent and controversial alternative the Smart Grid. As explained by smart grid.gov , The Smart Grid is ” digital technology that allows for two-way communication between the utility and its customers, and the sensing along the transmission lines is what makes the grid smart. Like the Internet, the Smart Grid will consist of controls, computers, automation, and new technologies and equipment working together, but in this case, these technologies will work with the electrical grid to respond digitally to our quickly changing electric demand.”
The video below further explains this alternative:
So what would this switch mean? How will it affect us? Is it the best alternative ?
Pros:
- More efficient transmission of electricity
- Quicker restoration of electricity after power disturbances
- Reduced operations and management costs for utilities, and ultimately lower power costs for consumers
- Reduced peak demand, which will also help lower electricity rates
- Increased integration of large-scale renewable energy systems
- Better integration of customer-owner power generation systems, including renewable energy systems
- Improved security
Cons:
- utilizing the internet to provide real time grid data increases the risk of privacy and security breaches.
- rebuilding the existing electrical grid will be extremely time consuming and expensive.
- real-time pricing of smart meters may negatively affect particular industries. (i.e. hospitals and patients that need temperature controlled rooms.
References:
“Top 9 Things You Didn’t Know About America’s Power Grid.” energy.gov. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
“What is the Smart Grid?”.smartgrid.gov. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. www.smartgrid.gov/the_smart_grid/smart_grid.
“Pros and Cons of the Smart Grid – a National Power Grid for the U.S.”.electrical-systems-lighting.knoji.com. Web. 17 Sept. 2015 . electrical-systems-lighting.knoji.com/pros-and-cons-of-the-smart-grid
“The Pros and Cons of Smart Grid Technology”. artemia.com. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. http://artemia.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-smart-grid-technology