Smart Grids

What is a smart grid?

A smart grid utilizes technology that allows for communication between the utility company and the consumers, in contrast to our current technology, which is simply a one-way supply of power to the customer. Having a flow of information between the source and the users can provide a number of advantages, including reducing energy use, consumer energy cost, and grid resiliency.

The smart grid offers a two way communication network between the power provider and the consumer. The smart grid allows for easy integration of newer energy production like solar panels and wind turbines.

Source: https://www.smartgrid.gov/the_smart_grid/smart_grid.html,

http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTotal-ZGDC200934002.htm

How do smart grids relate to the CoP?

Smart grids make use of many sensors to monitor the status of the lines. Many of these are analog systems, including a new technology known as a “Phasor Measurement Unit.” Besides sensors, smart grids also make use of other analog systems such as switches to re-route power, or temporary storage batteries which can hold excess energy to be used during times of heavy use.

The smart grid relates to power because it deals directly with the transportation of power between producers and consumers. The smart grid will communicate more reliably and securely by providing a whole network of communication as opposed to just a single line of communication

Source: https://www.energy.gov/oe/activities/technology-development/grid-modernization-and-smart-grid,

https://www.whatissmartenergy.org/smart-meters

What challenges do smart grids face today?

Some of the major challenges faced by smart grids are not technological, but instead, are based on policy, mainly privacy and security. For one, smart grid technology would capture much more data than our current grid, and the influx of connected technology may also prove to be dangerous to national security. Furthermore, justifying the upgrade is difficult to do, as hard numbers on how much energy would be saved are hard to get.

Another challenge that the smart grid faces today is data management. With the rise of communication rate and accessibility, there needs to be a better way to manage the data than ever in the past. Just as there was an improvement in transportation of communication and power there needs to be an improvement in the way it is managed.

Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2009/07/17/266136/the-big-smart-grid-challenges-2/,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140366413002090

What are some recent innovations in smart grids?

The most recent advancements in the field involve information and communication technologies, which help facilitate the two-way communication needed for a smart grid system.

Source: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6230891

An example of emerging technology is the implementation of Synchrophasors, or Phasor Measurement Units (PMU), which measure the voltage and current signals of a transmission line. These instruments measure the system many times a second, around 60 Hz, which matches the frequency of the grid. Data collected from a PMU is sent to a Phasor Data Concentrator (PDC) which will use the data for control logic or send the data to another PDC known as a Super-PDC, which monitors the results over a larger area. Transmission data collected by PMUs and PDCs are directly used for Wide Area Situational Awareness/Visualization, Event Detection, and Islanding Monitoring and Detection. In addition, this data is used for system analysis and training.

Source: https://www.naspi.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/20200320_naspi_webinar_farantatos.pdf

Benefits of Smart Grids

Some of the benefits of using smart grids include:

• Consumers will be able to save hundreds of dollars annually due to being able to check how much energy they are using in real-time through Demand Response programs.

• It can support other renewable energy resources like solar and wind.

• It can lessen the amount of greenhouse gas emissions being produced.

• There can be fewer disruptions (blackouts) in energy being delivered to your house.

• The grids can be updated to be more efficient as we evolve.

Source: https://engineeringonline.ucr.edu/blog/the-future-of-smart-grid-technologies/

Drawbacks to Smart Grids

Some of the drawbacks of smart grids include:

• A communication network will have to continuously stay open and running in order to operate.

• There is the chance of congestion which will seriously affect performance/operation of the smart grid.

• There is not sufficient data to determine how it will perform under severe weather patterns and storms

• These will be much more expensive that traditional grids

• Hacking and tampering with the grid may have worse consequences than compared to traditional grids.

Source: https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Terminology/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Smart-Grid.html

What are some useful resources to learn more about smart grids?

As this is a government project, there are many government run websites that have a lot of information on this subject. A few of these include energy.gov and smartgrid.gov. Additionally, a helpful infographic can be found here. Finally, in the spring, OSU offers ECE 437 Smart Grid. It has a pre-requisite of ECE 433 Power Systems Analysis.