Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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and solar energy complicates the role of the grid. Wind and solar energy will
often need to be stored to manage supply and demand for electricity generation and distribution. On top of that, renewable energy generation – in
particular solar energy – is increasingly also being generated by individual
consumers and businesses. When these small- scale energy sources produce
electricity in excess of their own needs, that electricity should ideally be put
into the grid for others to use. The possible analogy is now adults interacting,
in different amounts at different times, some with more resources (e.g. utility
companies), but all to some extent being able to both supply and demand
resources. All the while, this grid needs to manage overall supply and demand
of electricity economically, with a greater focus on managing consistency
relative to demand compared to the past. This needs to be a “smart” grid.
Correctly implemented, a smart grid is beneficial in the management of
systems that have significant portions of their electric power generated by
wind and solar energy (Hossain et al., 2016). The smart grid enables both grid
operators and customers to reduce costs and improve efficiency by balancing
supply and demand through better communication and pricing of electricity
(Astarloa et al., 2017). Speer et al. (2015) adapted the following definition of
a smart grid from the European Technology Platform Smart Grid (ETPSG):
[The] smart grid is a concept and vision that captures a range of advanced
information, sensing, communications, control, and energy technologies. Taken together, these result in an electric power system that can
intelligently integrate the actions of all connected users – from power
generators to electric consumers to those that both produce and consume
electricity (‘prosumers’) – to efficiently deliver sustainable, economic,
and secure electricity supplies.
7.2 Features of a Smart Grid
The smart grid is also a complicated grid; if it were simple, there would be no
need for it to be smart. The smart grid includes the electric system that joins production sources, transmission lines, distribution systems, storage systems, and
customers with smart meters. There is a communication system that includes
computers, meters, information displays, and an Internet with current information and resources that may be needed. Computer programs with automated
features, cybersecurity protection, and control systems are present and there
may be an active human operator of the smart grid. The system is connected to
a larger grid where electricity may be purchased or sold. The system allows for
customer engagement and decision making to reduce costs by purchasing electricity at times when prices are low and avoiding some uses at peak power times.
People may be needed as part of the smart grid management, such as a smart
grid operator and a distribution system operator, who has responsibility for
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and solar energy complicates the role of the grid. Wind and solar energy will
often need to be stored to manage supply and demand for electricity generation and distribution. On top of that, renewable energy generation – in
particular solar energy – is increasingly also being generated by individual
consumers and businesses. When these small- scale energy sources produce
electricity in excess of their own needs, that electricity should ideally be put
into the grid for others to use. The possible analogy is now adults interacting,
in different amounts at different times, some with more resources (e.g. utility
companies), but all to some extent being able to both supply and demand
resources. All the while, this grid needs to manage overall supply and demand
of electricity economically, with a greater focus on managing consistency
relative to demand compared to the past. This needs to be a “smart” grid.
Correctly implemented, a smart grid is beneficial in the management of
systems that have significant portions of their electric power generated by
wind and solar energy (Hossain et al., 2016). The smart grid enables both grid
operators and customers to reduce costs and improve efficiency by balancing
supply and demand through better communication and pricing of electricity
(Astarloa et al., 2017). Speer et al. (2015) adapted the following definition of
a smart grid from the European Technology Platform Smart Grid (ETPSG):
[The] smart grid is a concept and vision that captures a range of advanced
information, sensing, communications, control, and energy technologies. Taken together, these result in an electric power system that can
intelligently integrate the actions of all connected users – from power
generators to electric consumers to those that both produce and consume
electricity (‘prosumers’) – to efficiently deliver sustainable, economic,
and secure electricity supplies.
7.2 Features of a Smart Grid
The smart grid is also a complicated grid; if it were simple, there would be no
need for it to be smart. The smart grid includes the electric system that joins production sources, transmission lines, distribution systems, storage systems, and
customers with smart meters. There is a communication system that includes
computers, meters, information displays, and an Internet with current information and resources that may be needed. Computer programs with automated
features, cybersecurity protection, and control systems are present and there
may be an active human operator of the smart grid. The system is connected to
a larger grid where electricity may be purchased or sold. The system allows for
customer engagement and decision making to reduce costs by purchasing electricity at times when prices are low and avoiding some uses at peak power times.
People may be needed as part of the smart grid management, such as a smart
grid operator and a distribution system operator, who has responsibility for