Smart grid technologies consist of advanced metering infrastructure, customer systems and distribution/substation automation. Furthermore, it features smart appliances which track consumption habits to optimize rates and services for individual users.
Energy storage can add significant value to this mix, enabling better integration of variable renewables and decarbonisation efforts, more dynamic supply and demand management and power systems that operate closer to their limits without compromising reliability.
Reliability
Reliability is a core characteristic of smart grids, particularly when integrating distributed energy resources. Smart meters enable two-way communication which facilitates data collection and billing while making it easier to detect power outages and dispatch repair crews quickly.
Distributed energy resources (DERs), like solar and battery systems, can improve reliability by helping reduce peak hour demand and demand. But their distributed nature poses additional management challenges; smart grid technologies offer solutions for turning these potential liabilities into assets that strengthen system reliability and support sustainability goals.
Reliability is achieved through advanced communication networks that foster high levels of situational awareness, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, PMUs (Power Measurement Units), which measure electrical waves across wide areas synchronously, as well as smart distribution cables with automated monitoring, analysis, and self-healing functions.
Flexibility
As renewable energy sources become more commonplace, grid flexibility becomes ever more essential. This requires large electro-intensive consumers to respond swiftly and appropriately to price signals from utility companies by altering or shifting their electricity use in response.
Reduce dishwasher and washing machine run times during weeknights to prevent the usual demand surge or reprogram appliances for off-peak usage to take advantage of lower prices. Furthermore, customers could participate in energy storage or disaster resilience programs to help support system reliability during stress events.
Smart power meters enable two-way communication with electricity companies and diagnostic tools to quickly identify problems, leading to less disruption and improved service. They would also contribute more energy efficiency by placing less strain on systems while decreasing carbon emissions significantly.
Efficiency
Smart grids allow real time information exchange, making the power system run as efficiently as possible. Smart grids can detect outages more rapidly, and automatically reroute energy so as to minimise duration of service interruptions.
PMUs take 30-60 measurements every second and are capable of switching current from a line that’s too heavily loaded onto one that’s less loaded, thus lowering power consumption and prices across the network. Smart appliances may communicate with this smart grid system to follow pre-programmed commands to reduce electricity use during times when prices are highest.
Energy interoperability through XML standards such as OpenADR allows generators and consumers to coordinate their operations and pricing decisions more easily, meeting peak demand more evenly while also enabling flexible generation to sell energy at the optimal price point.
Sustainability
Smart grids use digital technologies for monitoring, real-time control and data transfer to coordinate the needs of generators, grid operatorss, end users and electricity markets to maximise reliability, flexibility, resilience and sustainability in electricity systems.
Smart grid technology can reduce electricity losses by keeping both supply and demand local. For instance, power measurement units (pMUs) can detect fluctuations in voltage or current and trigger protective relays within seconds to stop any harmful power flows, thus avoiding damage and fires caused by power surges.
Consumers benefit from real-time energy information, which allows them to adopt greener practices and take advantage of time-based utility rate programs. Utilities enjoy reduced transmission losses and optimised asset use resulting in revenue from new services offered. Regulators can meet emissions targets while increasing grid resiliency while smart grids facilitate renewables integration.
Customer Engagement
Smart grid technology offers several advantages to both electricity providers and consumers, but to realize these benefits both parties must cooperate in new ways.
EPB customers can monitor their power quality and reliability using advanced metering nodes that collect grid samples hundreds of times every second, then upload that information for analysis into software systems for analysis by the utility company. Once identified, EPB staff are then able to alert customers of any potential issues in real time which helps prevent outages while increasing service quality.
Utilities must educate their customers on energy usage and new ways to save. Oracle Digital Assistant offers dynamic conversations tailored to both customer needs and operational team needs; in addition, ODA integrates seamlessly with outage management systems so instant notifications and real-time updates about outages, planned maintenance schedules and restoration timelines are sent directly from ODA.