17-10-2012, 04:34 PM
Smart grids and solar energy
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Introduction
For being such a crucial part of our national infrastructure, our current electrical grid is
shockingly antiquated. It’s been around for over a century (you’d probably laugh at the prospect
of owning a computer that’s more than a few years old), and requires literally round-the-clock
surveillance by teams of engineering experts to make sure its centralized, generator-controlled
network provides the necessary gigawatts of electricity used by American households and
businesses.
So far, we haven’t seen much in the way of improvement, either. For while hundreds of
thousands of high-voltage transmission lines crisscross the US, less than a thousand miles of new
interstate transmission have been built since 2000. This lack of investment leads to blackouts and
power quality issues that cost American businesses an estimated $100 billion per
year. Simultaneously, the current grid does almost nothing to focus on efficiency improvements,
environmental impact, and customer control… not to mention the security threat of such a fragile
system.
The next step will be the dramatic, resource-intensive (i.e. around 1.5 trillion dollars!) revamping
of our electrical grid to build a system that is more reliable, nimble, and responsive to our
evolving energy needs. It will require the combination of new, superconducting power cables,
energy storage devices, and advanced sensors that can communicate in real time between
generators, transmitters, and end users. With these components in place, the Smart Grid will be
able to sense impending system overloads and reroute power as needed, accept energy from any
source ranging from dirty coal to clean solar power, and provide stability against natural
disasters or any sort of threat to national security.
If you make the choice to go solar, however, you will be pushing us in the right direction. Once
your panels have been installed, your house will be equipped with a smart meter that provides
real-time feedback regarding both the electricity you use and the electricity you generate. And as
solar technology allows utilities to pinpoint customer use in real time to avoid blackouts, while
simultaneously leading to organic reduction in home electricity use on the consumer’s end,
seems like a pretty, well, smart idea to us.
2) Bringing solar power to smart grid
One such technology development is the concept of widely distributed power generation facilities. In
the past, a relatively small number of power plants were controlled by a relatively small number of
utilities. In the future, more generation facilities such as wind farms and solar power plants will be
controlled by a larger number of corporations and individuals.The old system of “one-way” power flow
will not be sufficient for the smart grid. A new paradigm of integrated systems offering two-way power
flow, control and information sharing is required. Not only will technical issues have to be solved, but
utilities will have to adjust their view of the grid architecture to embrace distributed generation and
work with other parties to create an optimized solution. The large numbers of diverse and widelyscattered
generation sources must “collaborate” effectively with utilities to meet consumers’ power
needs and avoid problems.
3) SOLAR POWER AND SMART GRID IN THE PEPCO-REGION
Pepco is regulated electric utility delivering electricity to more than 750,000 customers in Washington,
D.C., and its Maryland suburbs PV panels generate electricity from sun light and can interconnect with a
utility's power grid. One of the biggest drawbacks is the high capital costs and installation costs. The use
of solar energy is expanding rapidly even though total contribution remains low. On-going research
improves efficiency.
The Link: Smart Grid Solar
As you have seenSolarand SmartGridsupport many of the same benefits &
plans at all levels when implemented together, there is
Greater chance for customers to benefit and for states to reach their RPS
goals