Cleaner and smarter energy through smart grid technology

Today it is evident from the recent tragic events due to natural causes and calamities that humans should adopt greener energy to run the world. As the carbon emissions are increasing with the increase in the use of non-renewable energy sources, contamination of water and air, and various other pollutions the world we call home is about to turn on its inhabitants. The prior reason is the carelessness and misuse of resources that has triggered the alarm clock of natural calamity at various situations and modes in and around the globe.

Source: blogs.edf.org

Earth, a self-sustainable ecosystem is now falling on the verge of destruction and humans will be extinct or will need to find a new world to continue if we follow in our misguided footsteps of our ancestors and the overexploitation of the resources we have at hand. The rising levels of global warming and reduction in rainfall along with various natural calamities all point towards an apocalyptic world destroyed by we humans itself.

This blog will drive your attention to the aspect of cleaner energy through smart grid technology.

So what is a smart grid?

The question must have popped up in your mind the second you heard it in this blog or any other context. That the curiosity of the human mind plays a key role in our day-to-day life. The eagerness to know about an unknown entity. The same thing happened to me like muscle memory and I searched about it on Google just like everyone else.

You may have heard about the grid in the context of describing energy or electricity. Every home is connected to a grid of your locality. So a grid is a collection of transmission lines, transformers, generators, and all the households interconnected for the fall of electricity. The grid technology was developed in the late 19 century and has seen severe changes in the technology improving the efficiency and reliability of the system throughout the world.

Now to smart grid, it's a grid-based technology which is developed in which there is two-way communication possible along with through sensing and sensory of the glow throughout the transmission and equipment will make a grid smart. Moreover, the equipment and the technology involved will function digitally and with various automation and advanced technologies along the way to respond to the electrical demand instantly. Just like the internet technology a smart grid will consist of controlling units, computer-based processing and control systems along with various automation-based control systems such as SCADA, use of software-based application tools to have higher efficiency to operations.

How can we achieve a smart grid-based system?

A smart grid is not a newer technology that was invented in a nutshell but rather it is the same methodology of the existing grid-based technology which is made smarter with advancements available at the human disposal such as automation and computer-based technologies. A smart grid will essentially have efficient transmission and distribution systems along with end-user and system integration with the involvement of renewable and advanced energy generation and storage methodologies available today.

Moreover, with the use of the technology, you will have real-time monitoring measuring as well as controllability of operations helping the official to locate and electrify the loss of energy along with the modifications of the systems accordingly.

Benefits of smart grid technology

From the understanding of the smart grids, you will have the same question in your mind just as I had? Wouldn't it be costly? The answer is that smart grid technology is a cost-efficient solution. Let me explain although the initial costing will be higher than the existing grid-based operation this will provide you with more reliability, the efficiency of operations, and reduction of losses. Moreover, this will be beneficial in the long run and will pay back the initial investment gradually with the progress of reduction of losses and improving the effectiveness and efficiency.

Here are certain benefits of grid-based technology which I got the best among the list just have a read about it to understand the full capabilities of it.

• Efficient electricity transmission with reduced transmission and distribution losses.

• peak load management with quick and reliable transmission restoration in times of faulty transmission lines.

• Reduction in power purchase for the end-user and lower coat for the operations and the management of the grid

• Self-healing grid along with advanced and large-scale integration of various renewable sources of power with the existing grid.

These are the certain advantages of smart grid technology which makes it overweight in the operational capabilities than the normal grids. Today the use of renewable energy technology is gradually improving and various developed, as well as developing nations, are adapting to these reliable sources rather than exploiting the non-renewable resources.

In the long run, we will be completely adapting to renewable sources such as solar, tidal, wind, and hydro than using coal, wood, and other pollution-causing elements. Therefore, the energy distribution operations will be in vital need of smart grid technology. Although today only a handful of the countries have adapted to it the methodology has been long spread to the underdeveloped nations and are willing to adapt to renewable sources as it is readily available with an efficient investment.