August 4th, 2009
Are we being smart about the smart grid?
A recent conference sponsored by “Fortune” magazine featured a panel discussion on the smart grid. How? Why? What? The panel was led by members of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.). Here are three of their suggestions:
1) It takes a whole system approach. The smart grid starts at the power plant and ends at the user, and everything in between must “talk” to each other. The smart grid is more than mere metering. Every aspect of the smart grid is part of an overall plan and can’t be viewed as an individual investment.
The panel also found that standards are the linchpin to bringing together all necessary entities, so that all of the various groups can work together to drive the smart grid initiative – one goal, one vision. Cost-effective technology, technology standards, technology interoperability and incentives for home owners are what are needed to take advantage of the smart grid.
2) Software and information management is crucial. One of the key challenges for the successful smart grid implementation is to get the electric operations groups and IT teams working together. Valuable data can be captured that will have enormous benefit for the utilities if managed and utilized efficiently. The panel concluded that it is imperative that the two entities work together to marry the electrical infrastructure and information infrastructure. In order to do this, utilities must establish smart grid steering committees that can take a holistic view.
3) People need to “get smart.” Consumers need to truly understand the benefits of smart grid.
At this point, consumers in the U.S. do not interact with their energy. They do not know how to manage it beyond paying their bill and monitoring their usage patterns. In order for consumers to proactively take advantage of the smart grid, they must understand how to harness technology benefits involved and make adjustments to their power usage. This will save consumers money and help alleviate the worldwide energy crises by reducing energy consumption.
Consumers need to learn all they can about the smart grid so that they can reap as many benefits as possible from more efficient energy utilization. People need to be informed about their energy usage and its impact on the environment. Most importantly, they need to understand how monitoring and controlling their energy use will save costs.
Buried in all this is the assumption that there is political will to have a unified, organized, efficient system. First, there’ll be much opposition by the anti-regs, not to mention the global warming deniers. Then, there’ll be the vested interests who make lots of money on wasted energy, from coal suppliers to utilities. And they have their political lackeys. A truly smart grid would be a boon to eningeering and metering and software firms, not so good for coal companies and profit-making utilities. And if the smart grid allows heavier use of electricity for street transportation, that would be bad news for Exxon, Shell, Chevron, Saudi Arabia and the owners of oil tankers. As much as IEEE engineers can see the potential and reasons for a smart grid, the opponents will warn of the huge economic costs and lobby like crazy behind closed doors.
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A newsman since 1969, Harry Fuller has worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET and was founding news director at TechTV. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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