Smart Grid
Within the technology, energy or clean tech industry in recent years, Grid is the term Smart emerged. What is behind this buzzword really smart grid?
Smart Grid: The Internet of Energy
The Smart Grid will be something like the "Internet of Energy" - ie, smart power grids will continue a meaningful sharing of power consumption ensure that, in accordance with the production of power is stronger. Only then will the renewable energies are effectively integrated into the grid. Because: The wind blows just when he blows and not when 20 million German go in at half time the World Cup finals to the refrigerator and there light tackle needs.
In the U.S., the Smart Grid still significantly greater than in Germany - there is reliable power for years due to lack of investment in infrastructure is a real problem. In Europe, at least in Germany we have to fight against little or virtually no power outages.
Governments and energy companies around the world are investing billions to lay new cables and operate new power networks like the Internet. Future there is no longer the one-way communication from the power plant to provide energy, but a two-dimensional communication, where the refrigerator or the smart meter communicates with the power plant.
Advantage for consumers: variable electricity prices
Thanks to the Smart Grid, the electricity prices vary in the future, depending on how much power just in the network is available - the wind is blowing strong and is much current is fed with it, is the latest electricity price drop of the. Intelligent appliances will recognize this and, for example, the dishwasher then run when the electricity price is just cheap. Thus, the load distribution and power plants such as nuclear power plants, which only serve to ensure a possible peak load can be turned off.
Insight into their own power
So far we have hardly know how much electricity we actually use and which devices in the home or at work are really the main electricity consumers - with the smart meters and intelligent appliances, for example, is this in the future change. Different software vendors are developing solutions that show us rock hard, the points at which the budget is a massive energy savings.
The introduction of smart meters (smart meters) will be in Europe from 2010, in part, to duty - at least for new construction and major renovation. These smart meters are the connection path between the budget and the Smart Grid. Characteristic is that they allow the two-way communication. Ultimately resulting efficiency incentives, which we will all future use to save money.
For example, the electric car that is loaded in the home carport, cost over night and not during the day will be charged and thus less - while the electric car can also serve as a kind of buffer
Start-ups and corporations compete for Smart Grid billion
Large corporations such as Cisco, Siemens or General Electric is currently bringing to market the Smart Grid billion in position. But many young start-ups that are partially supported with government funding millions who want a abbekommen part of the pie. These include Tendril, SmartSynch, Econitor, Echelon or the Power Plus Communication. It is interesting that the previous IT giants like Microsoft, Cisco and Google now have identified a new market.
Problem: Privacy
There is also criticism on the smart grid and smart meters in the budget and the procedures that make the energy consumption transparent. Abuse seems possible, it is extremely high demands must be made to the data transmission.
For more information: Cleanthinking.de
The Business Blog www.cleanthinking.de regularly reports on the latest developments in the field of Smart Grids.
