Thursday 24 February 2011

Smart Grid

Smart Grid

There are many topics to be covered on the Smart Grid however I would like to focus on the technological aspect (especially Smart Grid and Mobile Networks) but I also realise there is a need to have an overview of everything to do with the Smart Grid.

In the recent years the United States , Europe and other developed nations have all made a vision for the future to have a reliable, secure and affordable utilities system.
All of us want the electric power to be accessible , abundant and affordable especially in this age when we are always using it and increasing dependent on it for our everyday use. In last few 5 years or so the leaders of many developed countries saw the need to modernize their electric delivery system for economic and national
security.
The aging electro-mechanical electric grid which is more than 50 years old cannot keep pace with the new innovations in the digital information and telecommunications network. The occasional power outages and power quality disturbances has cost the economy billions of dollars annually. Therefore there is a need for an electric superhighway to support our information superhighway.

The Smart Grid is defined as an integrated communication and power system infrastructure which allows for robust two - way communications , advanced sensors and distributed computers to improve the efficiency , reliability and safety of power delivery and use.


Most of the technologies available are compatible to work with the Smart Grid infrastructure and billion of dollars or pounds are going to be invested over the next decades for upgrading works on the power grid to ease grid congestion , to harness the new sources of renewable energy , encouraging lower carbon footprint, progress in technology and to better position the network for the next 50 years of operation etc.

Smart Grids enabling technologies :

1. Active distribution of networks, revealing characteristics of today’s transmission grids

2. New network technologies that facilitate increased power transfers and losses reduction (eg. GIL(Gas Insulated Line) , superconductivity , high operating temperatures , FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission System) technologies etc.)

3.Wide deployment of communications to enable grid automation ,on-line services ,demand response and DSM (Demand Side Management).

4. Power electronic technologies for quality of supply
     DC-DC converter used for harvesting photovoltaic energy and the UPS
     (Uninterrupted Power Supply)  are some examples.

5. Stationary energy storage device.
    Stationary energy storage device can substantially enhance the recovery of braking
    energy in DC systems.
  
The Smart Grid’s objectives is  to develop a shared vision for the future , identify research needs and build support for an increased  research effort on electricity networks, conclusion  and follow up actions on implementation of strategic research agenda and deployment plan.

http://www.smartgrids.eu/documents/vision.pdf
http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/RDSI_fact_sheet-090209.pdf
http://www.ruggedcom.com/pdfs/print_version/smartgrid_new.pdf

2 comments:

  1. Very thought provoking indeed; at some stage we will indeed need to address our energy requirements. A lot of us take it for granted that it will always be sustainable, but with rapidly increasing populations new ideas are definitely needed

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  2. There are a lot of work to be done on the Smart Grid implementation and deployment.There is a significant role for the mobile telecommunications in the Smart Grid architecture.

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