Smart Grid - What is it? What does it mean to you?

Smart grid is an electrical power distribution network that includes two-way, digital communications between suppliers and consumers. Smart grid works with a smart meter installed at the consumer end.


A plain electrical grid uses technology to deliver electricity from power plants to consumers. A Smart grid uses information technology to improve how the electricity travels to consumers, allowing consumers to interact with the grid, and offers benefits such as better response to electricity demand, better management of outages, more integration of renewable forms of energy, and storage of electricity.


The overall goal is optimization of consumer use of electricity, improving energy efficiency and controlling the flow of power to maintain reliable service and stable operation. Widespread use of this technology would reduce blackouts, which cost consumers, both individuals and businesses, millions of dollars. Also the increased efficiency of this system would drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and be more environmentally friendly.  If everyone efficiently used electricity the reduction in pollution would be astounding. It is hard to get people to care enough to do something about it though. If everyone was on a smart grid and had a smart meter would the use it?


So what does this gobbledegook mean to you? Don't feel bad if is seems confusing, as even many employees at the electricity companies wouldn't be able to answer many questions about it. The overall idea will have to be put in simpler terms for consumers to be interested. People fear what they don't understand. Many people never figured out how to program their VCR's before they became obsolete and have yet to program their programmable thermostats because it seems complicated.  Are some people too lazy to read? 


One part of this system will be that consumers will use more electricity during off peak hours and less during peak hours. For example, your dishwasher and clothes washer might run their loads during the middle of the night based on the most efficient time. If you have a smart appliance it will communicate with the electricity provider as to what time that will be, based on what electricity is being used all over that night and how many other consumers have their machines ready to run that night.


There will be more planning and scheduling of electrical use, but you won't have to be the one planning it, because the electricity provider and your appliances could figure it out for you, and your electricity bill should go down as a result, and you'll be helping the environment by conserving energy.


Another benefit would be, for example, your hot water heater malfunctions and uses huge amounts of electricity that you don't know about until you get your massive bill and are shocked. This situation will be prevented with smart grid, because you will know how much electricity you are consuming as often as you want to know, and you would somehow be alerted almost immediately by your hot water heater or electricity provider, perhaps via a text to your phone that there is a problem. Your hot water heater may even shut itself off or be smart enough to self diagnose its problem and fix itself.


The interaction between consumer and supplier would be quick to point out problems within your home system. Once your home has a smart meter and is hooked up to smart grid it might reveal that your heating and cooling electricity use is way higher than normal in comparison to other similar homes. This would warrant further investigation and may uncover problems like air ducts improperly installed or not fully connected. As a consumer you may have continued to pay your electricity bill not realizing it was higher than it should be, because that was the usual monthly bill ever since you have lived there. You would have wasted electricity and money indefinitely without even knowing it.  Incorrectly installed air ducts are not so uncommon, so this situation could be going on right now in your home without your knowledge. An energy audit would uncover this situation.
Smart grid can help consumers by tracking energy costs, identifying problems and reducing harm to the environment, but some wonder, is this yet another way you are giving up your freedom? It may increase energy efficiency but is it another way you are being controlled by “Big Brother”?   Would you care if you were required by the utility company to have a smart meter?  In some places they have been installed.

For more interesting information about energy efficiency please visit  http://www.homes-energy-efficient.com/