THE U.S. ENERGY GRID

      Energy is crucial to our everyday lives. We use electricity everyday to help us work and play.  Whether it be to light the room we are in or watch the news on television, energy is being brought to our fingertips. But exactly how is this energy delivered to us?

 I found this video to be a simple explanation to this question: Energy For Dummies

   The United States electric grid was created in the 1890s. It consists of more than 9,200 electric generating units with more 300,000 miles of transmission lines.While the source of the energy varies – natural gas, nuclear energy, hydroelectric, solar, geothermal, wind – all conversions of sources are then generated into electricity. The voltage is then increased and the electricity travels through transmission lines to individual neighborhood transformers, which lower the voltage to a safe level for power lines to distribute.

Massachusetts is a part of the Eastern Interconnection, one of the three major Interconnections which move electricity around the country. The three interconnections are the Eastern Interconnection, which powers states that are east of the Rocky Mountains, the Western Connection, which powers states from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, and the Texas Interconnection, which powers only Texas.

   The Smart Grid is a new project being developed by the government in hopes to decrease the economic and health deficit. The Smart Grid will be able to predict usage patterns and change the amount of electricity used based upon the demand. One aspect of the Smart Grid that is being emphasized and praised for its potential is it’s quick response to power outages and disturbances. The Smart Grid promises to isolate these disturbances as to contain a large-scale blackout. Another aspect of the Smart Grid which will improve our current energy crisis is the implementation of  “SmartMeters.” “Smart Meters” will allow consumers to track their usage immediately, rather than waiting for their bill to come. This will also include an approximation of the consumers’ monthly bills to encourage them to lower usage, and thus, paying less.

 The Smart Grids work by using sensors and wireless parts to allow the grids to gather data on energy use, weather patterns, and transmission capacity. Currently only 8% of the 2.5 billion electrical meters are in use. Developers want to be able to store the unused electricity.

PROS:  

~ Smart meters can allow consumers to track their usage to lower bills.                        

~ Smart Grids are environmentally friendly because they increase efficiency.

~ Blackouts and system-wide electric failures can be prevented easily.

CONS:

~  The estimated price for  rebuilding the grid will cost much

somewhere between $13 billion and $50 billion.

~ If consumers continue to use more and more electricity, it will

defeat the purpose of being energy efficient.

~ Additional fees may be charged for the transition to a Smart Meter.

Resources:

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

2. https://www.smartgrid.gov/recovery_act/project_information

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

4. http://energy.about.com/od/metering/a/Pros-And-Cons-Of-Smart-Meters_2.htm

5. https://www.smartgrid.gov/sites/default/files/doc/files/What_is_Smart_Grid_Fact_sheet_200912.pdf

6. http://www.bpa.gov/EE/Technology/smart-grid/Pages/default.aspx