Could it be that the utilities might actually look for more cost effective networking options for the smart grid? Might they explore opportunities such as partnering with broadband and mobile wireless providers to provide the network connection for the grid as opposed to spending billions in an attempt to build their own?
Given that EPRI is working with the Zigbee and Homeplug standards groups to define Internet standard profiles for the AMI market, its only a matter of time before advanced meters connect directly to the Internet. Why build yet another network if the network capacity already exists?
Financial adversity could be the mother of invention in this case, or perhaps just an opportunity to economize by avoiding replication of infrastructure!
This article quotes a statistic that is a clarion call to invest in the Smart Grid. In addition to the eco-friendly benefits, it is fast becoming necessary to replace existing infrastructure. 60% at design life and 25% past design life aren't minor problems. If 85% of the grid needs to be replaced, and it isn't replaced, we can expect more blackouts like we saw in the Northeast and in California in recent years.
Also, the crisis in the economy makes spending all the more necessary to get money moving again. The electrification of rural America took place during the New Deal, and we're fast approaching the need for another New Deal. Perhaps instead of giving blank checks to failing banks, infrastructure spending could be the answer to our economic woes. It won't be the only answer, but it would be a step in the right direction.
Brian Crow - 11/20/2008 - 17:53
Electric Vehicles and the Future of the Smart Grid
We are seeing tremendous growth in the number of municipalities putting in electric vehicle charge points. The Smart Grid is a huge part of providing the capability to integrate vehicle recharging and the grid. In order for utilities to optimize the opportunities to utilize electric vehicles as a distributive energy source continued investment in smart grid infrastructure will be necessary.
For more information see
http:/EVtransPortal.com/cerip.html
Peter Oppewall - 11/21/2008 - 13:06
Not so smart grid
A national grid is a massive expense. With more and more distributed energy systems; solar, fuel cells, wind power, it may be smarter to break the grid up into smaller and smaller disconnected grids. This will reduce transmission waste and reduce maintenance costs.
Ultimately it will be most cost effective to generate power at the point of use. If residences used solar, fuel cells and batteries to generate and store their own electricity most of the grids would disappear. Electric vehicles could also serve as emergency generators and storage for residences. Only big commercial electricity users would have need to be connected to the grid. That would greatly simplify the grid, reduce costs and improve reliability. In this view of the future, a “smart grid” would not be of much value.
Guy Smith - 11/23/2008 - 13:33
Smart Grid
Smart grid is supposed to be unifying agregation of a nations available energy,management, controls etc, but of course every product has it's lifespan and if some of the existing infrastructure are at the end of life, then good economy sense dictates expenditure in that area, besides it will kick start a new boom.
David A Ally - 12/11/2008 - 10:38
Case for Smart Grid
The Urban centers are essentially the major power consumers while the rural centers are the major generators of power, especially renewable sources such as solar and wind. In that scenario there is going to be a need for a smart grid to move power from the remote sources, such as deserts, to urban centers.
James Jones - 01/17/2009 - 13:49
Reality now
When reviewing the cost and options as they apply to the SmartGrid please keep in mind that there are three separate issues here. #1: The electrical grid is not the SmartGrid. The SmartGrid is communications. The electrical grid is indeed in need of upgrade with estimates of up to 2 trillion over the next 10 to 15 years. This represents a gigantic effort just by itself. #2: The SmartGrid is not clearly defined and is at the very start of it's evolution as a means of connecting various appliances on the electrical grid network providing efficiencies creating the infrastructure to benefit from various applications such as Demand Response. #3: Due to the current economic conditions any momentum up to this point regarding implementing the SmarGrid has been curtailed. There are many subsets that make up the SmartGrid. Han is a subset of AMI. AMI is only one subset of many that will make up the SmartGrid. Considering the dollars spent initiating the SmartGrid it has to start with AMI including HAN that enables Demand Response to justify the expense. Considering the expense to address the AMI portion only of the SmartGrid in by it's self is a huge cost. At 125.00 or so per meter and the cost of the RF mesh networks needed along with back office software is a considerable if you were a utility representing 600K meters that would be converted to AMI totaling close to 100M to implement. How does that get financed in today's economic climate? I am very optimistic and passionately involved in the SmartGrid, but today's reality of moving forward is getting dimmer everyday. Once the economy settles out the efforts in building the SmartGrid with start to gain attention again. Until that happens we are in for a major slow down I believe. Even though there will be a lot of discussion along with hammering out standards the reality of implementation is majorly impacted today. This disappoints me considerably.
From fires in Philadelphia to firearms in Texas, smart meter associated flare-ups make the news weekly. And it makes us wonder: If you could turn back the clock and rethink the whole smart grid rollout, would you do it differently? And if so how? That's this week's topic in our discussion forum. Please join in.
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