Smart Grid vs. Distributed Generation
The “smart grid” would be a system designed to work with and expand our current grid system. Much of the current grid in the United States would be replaced, updated and overhauled. The “smart grid” would take both alternative energy production and the conventional fossil fuel electricity producing plants as suppliers. It would enable communication between the suppliers and users equipment, allowing the supplier to determine whether to distribute or not based on what they determine the needs of the user to be.
Distributed generation, on the other hand, has the “user” producing and supplying their own electricity on the site where it is used. There are several alternative means(solar, wind, geothermal, biofuel, tidal generators, etc.) or combination of means that may be used. It would not only cut down on the cost of transmission lines, power stations and many other associated expenses, it would take a considerable strain off of the already overworked electrical grid.
As I stated previously, the current electical grid is in much need of updating and overhauling. The current electrical grid is very well established(entrenched) within our society. The costs plus some are borne by us (users). If just a portion of this money would go into rebates, incentives, tax breaks to implement and use alternatives, it seems to me, it would be easy to justify the initial costs of using a distrubuted generation system.
Of course, “grid” supplied electricity would always be available. Some would use it as their “main source” while others could use it as a backup. Do you personally favor “smart grid” or “distributed generation” and why? Let me know your opinions, questions or suggestions on this by clicking the “comments” link immediately following this post. Stop in any time to see any of the comments. Till next week, May God Bless You. Tim
Tim,
I ran across your website through my search alert on this very topic. You have an informative and good discussion going on here, Keep up the good work.
Something I ‘d like offer is this: Smart Grid vs. Distributed Generation discussion. These are really broad ranging topics. Both are really more beneficial to wholesalers of electricity. The industry is now in the midst of planning and preparing for huge upgrades to the grid unlike anything that has ever been done before. This is to connect to and provide the ability to integrate renewable energy. While some “smart grid” additions can help customers by enabling conservation applications, most are for wholesale market applications and will allow real time improvements for grid operators.
Distributed generation, can be both wholesale and retail. As you point out, placing generation on the existing grid has many long recognized benefits. In terms of current planning, these are relatively small capacities, even wholesale merchant distributed generation of the renewable type is expected to be a small percentage of capacity. Most planning and the energy industry really prefer centralized systems with transmission to users through their networks.
Distributed generation can also mean, Self generation. Both renewables and other forms of generation can fit this label. Self Generators using renewables could be the start of a huge transformation to the old way of doing things. As technology improves, the opportunity for real options to buying your energy from regional monopolies may open up. The grid is able to absorb self generation now. But the grid is not a battery. More energy storage will have to be added to the infrastructure in time. Storage capacity and locations can go many different directions too.
My point is that Renewable Energy really has potential to transform the way we all do business, for industry and customers alike. But much more so from the customers perspective. In some parts of the country energy cost are a significant portion of folks income. This could become much bigger with the planned infrastructure changes. The next decade or so will reveal where we go with it.
I’d prefer options, like supplying and storing your own clean renewable power locally. This could very well become the most economical way of doing things….
Bet regards, Ron
Thanks for your comment, Ron. I had not heard the term “self generation” but it is aptly termed. Your point about “storage” is very valid. I run across a lot of people using alternative energy that are always at a crossroad of using or not using a battery backup. Do you know of any commercial applications implementing an energy storage technology? I would be interested in finding out some of the working methods. Tim
Tim, Like generation, Energy storage comes in many flavors and applications. Batteries of coarse being the most widely known. Utilities and off grid users around the world use different types to keep their systems reliable. Flooded Lead Acid being the most widely known. Large commercial batteries for grid operations include Flow Batteries, VRB, Sodium Sulphur, and now Lithium Ion, that will also be used to propel electric vehicles in the next few years. The commercial batteries can hold and discharge Mega Watts of electricity.
There are other traditional commercial storage “plants” like pumped storage that convert the kinetic energy of falling water into power. This is an old technology with limited prime locations, and some what less efficiency because of a minimum of 25% power lost to pumping. These are the biggest capacity energy storage systems in the world. Usually large reservoirs are involved thus large capital investment and significant environmental concerns too.
Emerging and potentially very valuable forms of energy storage include flywheels, ultra capacitors, compressed air storage. These can typically be placed near loads and are flexible, fast responding, and a form of “distributed storage.”
Personally I’d like to see more technologies scaled down to local and individual uses. Until that day arrives, I’ll keep maintaining my 1000 amp hour fork lift type battery. If all goes as planned my next battery investment will have 4 wheels, a steering wheel and run on sunshine…
Heres a link to a commercial energy storage association , with lots of utility scale energy storage info:http://www.electricitystorage.org/site/technologies/
Good Luck , Ron