Smart Grid Musings

I've read the articles about the need for a smart grid because the current electrical grid is essentially unchanged since the 1960's. Ok. But just because a technology is old is not really a good reason for change.

After all, we are all pretty accustomed to flipping on the power switch and expecting the light to go on or the refrigerator to keep things cool. It just works, just like it has all of our lives.

So, why would we want to mess with a good thing?

There are several reasons, many of which are not being clearly articulated by the media:

1. Power demand continues to grow from year to year.
2. Power is generated mostly by coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear.
3. Renewal power is growing, but it is currently less than 5% of less of the total.
4. Uncertainty about the regulatory climate (EPA rulings, permit denials, environmental legal problems, cap and trade legislation, etc.) has kept power companies from building new coal power plants to keep up with the demand for power.
5. Renewal power such as wind and solar cannot be brought 'on-line' as needed. Wind is available when the wind blows which varies minute by minute. Solar is available as long as the sun shines. See some wind power generation graphs here to see the variability of wind power: http://wind.aeptechlab.com/PowerGraph.aspx?DeviceID=1
   
6. We don't yet have massive power storage technologies to smooth out the variability of renewable power availability.
7. Power companies are exploring the use smart grid technologies to control power usage all the way down to your individual appliances.
   

So, at some point in the near future the consumer is going to be faced with the cold hard reality that the old days of instant power whenever he/she wanted it are over. It will happen when the power company puts in communicating thermostats that automatically bump up the temperature by 8-10 degrees in the summer when demand is about to exceed available power supply or that room air conditioner, dishwasher, washing machine and clothes dryer cannot be run during peak hours.

Why will this happen?

Power companies have to always make available slightly more power than is being used so as to not overload the system.

Because new renewable power sources being brought online are variable and unpredictable, the grid will need to be able reduce demand, in real-time, as the supply of power reduces. Existing power plants cannot be turned on and off quickly and economically to level out the supply of power. Also, because renewal power varies, the power availability margin will likely need to be increased to reduce the risk of demand exceeding supply.

The bottom line here is that smart grid technology will be used to control demand in real-time, so that demand stays below available power supply.

Power companies are running pilots all over the country using a variety of new smart grid technologies to figure out the best ways to control residential and business power usage. The biggest hurdle that they will face is how to get their customers to 'buy-in' to the new model with the least amount of resistance.

Watch those pilots closely.