What the heck is a Smart Grid?
Author: Bob Hetherington
A bit off topic but important none the less!
Everywhere I look these days I see Smart Grid this and Smart Grid that and Smart Grid everything else. Hmmm ... must be either Green or something to do with a Bailout plan to be referred to so often in the press :-(
While I'm not an expert on the topic by any means but I do have a background in engineering and now as editor of this fine eMagazine I see a ton of relevant information cross my desk each day so I'd like to take a crack at sorting out the facts from the fiction on this topic.
I'll start with a definition from Wikipedia.
A smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using digital technology to save energy, reduce cost and increase reliability. Such a modernized electricity network is being promoted by many governments as a way of addressing energy independence or global warming issues. For example, if smart grid technologies made the United States grid 5% more efficient, it would equate to eliminating the fuel and greenhouse gas emissions from 53 million cars.
Now that is impressive ... but still a bit vague about what the thing actually is and does. How about if I do the engineer thing and break this down into point form.
* The "Grid" as it is today.
* Why does it need to get "Smart"
* How do we make it "Smart"
* Who will make it "Smart"
* When will it become "Smart"
* What other stuff can a Smart Grid do?
Read the complete article in the latest issue of our eMagazine at HomeToys.com
Author: Bob Hetherington
A bit off topic but important none the less!
Everywhere I look these days I see Smart Grid this and Smart Grid that and Smart Grid everything else. Hmmm ... must be either Green or something to do with a Bailout plan to be referred to so often in the press :-(
While I'm not an expert on the topic by any means but I do have a background in engineering and now as editor of this fine eMagazine I see a ton of relevant information cross my desk each day so I'd like to take a crack at sorting out the facts from the fiction on this topic.
I'll start with a definition from Wikipedia.
A smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using digital technology to save energy, reduce cost and increase reliability. Such a modernized electricity network is being promoted by many governments as a way of addressing energy independence or global warming issues. For example, if smart grid technologies made the United States grid 5% more efficient, it would equate to eliminating the fuel and greenhouse gas emissions from 53 million cars.
Now that is impressive ... but still a bit vague about what the thing actually is and does. How about if I do the engineer thing and break this down into point form.
* The "Grid" as it is today.
* Why does it need to get "Smart"
* How do we make it "Smart"
* Who will make it "Smart"
* When will it become "Smart"
* What other stuff can a Smart Grid do?
Read the complete article in the latest issue of our eMagazine at HomeToys.com
