SMART GRID

The smart grid is a concept that is receiving an increasing amount of press. There are a number of reasons for building a level of advanced functionality into national and even international electrical distribution grids:

Automated reading of digital electricity meters
Flexible and adaptive responses to changes of demand
Reduced dependence on fossil fuels and optimised use of renewable sources
Ability to schedule high power consumption operations and processes when electrical power is cheap and least environmentally damaging

To operate correctly, a smart grid must solicit and distribute information from a very large number of smart meters and other devices. This information may then be used to assess the level of demand and to identify conditions of over or under supply. It will also be possible to determine the level of contributions from renewable sources such as photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind generators or hydroelectric schemes. Using this wealth of information, decisions can be made about power distribution, load balancing and even proactive load management. Proposals and designs are still at an early stage, but the potential of smart grid engineering is huge.

It will be up to the large electrical distribution companies to roll-out smart grids at the macro level, but there are other opportunities. At the micro level, Alpha Touch is pioneering techniques for scheduling non-essential high power consumption activities during periods when electricity is cheapest and least environmentally damaging. This may mean using a washing machine or dish-washer when electrical power is plentiful from solar PV panels, or when a wind generator is working at close to peak output.

It makes sense to make full use of renewable energy when it is available and to supplement it with energy from traditional sources when it is not. The smart grid will undoubtedly be instrumental in achieving these goals.