The vision of smart grids paints a bright future. By having more means for distributed energy production, storage and consumption, it becomes possible to have cheaper energy from sustainable energy sources. And it is very simple… just install some solar panels, or a small wind turbine… Or even install a battery in the house, which stores locally produced energy before it is used. Sound great, doesn’t it?
This even looks like a solution in which the autonomy of an individual (a household, a company, a farm, et cetera) is guaranteed: you can produce your own energy and use it when needed. You are in control! But you are not detached from the other users. Hardly any house, company, farm (et cetera) is completely independent of the electricity grid. When a surplus of energy is locally generated, it is placed on the grid. When more energy is needed than locally available, it is drawn from the grid.
The grid is a common resource with limited capacity. The grid can only handle so much… Suppose all households individually decide to start charging their electric vehicles at 19:00 hours? Or suppose on a sunny day, all buildings with solar panels start to dump their excess energy on the grid? Germany is a good example of having problems with too much green energy (in their case, wind farms) – which threathened to overload parts of the grid. A common resource requires also a common, cooperative, usage. Which is feasible, as all participants desire an affordable, sustainable and reliable electric grid (not necessarily with the same priority).
The Acatech report on Future Energy Grids paints an important picture. In one of their scenarios, individuals start using smart grid technology, without investing into the cooperative side. In that scenario, the overall reliability and sustainability of the electricity grid plummets…
This scenario can be avoided by implementing two measures. First, by using energy management systems that are aware of the phyiscal layout of the electricity grid. Such energy management systems should adjust local energy production, storage and consumption in coordination with neighboring energy management systems. Second, by guiding the adoption of smart energy systems such that the accompanying energy management systems adhere to joint protocols and have the required functionality.
So we have a challenge ahead of us. Each of us can make a decision whether or not to invest in smart grid technology. And one of the consequences is, or should be, that any such investment should include a (small) investment in an appropriate energy management system. Our autonomy will be coordinated with the autonomy of the other participants, as well as the dynamics of our (sustainable) energy sources.
Towards a bright future!
A non-exhaustive list of information about smart grids
- Description of smart grid on Wikipedia
- “Future Energy Grid”, study by Acatech and translated by ICT Digital as an English PDF
- Tesla Home Battery makes a stylish solution for local energy storage.
- Description of Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) on Wikipedia – a device often used to protect sensitive computer equipment against power outages.
- PowerMatcher, an energy management system
- TRIANA, an energy management system from University of Twente
- Article on “Germany’s Green Energy Destabilizing Electric Grids“, by Institute for Energy Research, Jan 23rd, 2013, visited June 8th, 2015.