Say what you will about the smart grid, the strongest grid may be no grid at all.
Pitfalls
Distributing smaller generating capacity at multiple locations reduces the pitfalls of relying on a single, remote source of power.
Distributed generation generates electricity from many small energy sources. It is also known as on-site generation; dispersed generation; embedded generation; decentralised generation; decentralised energy, or distributed energy. Distributed generation allows the collection of energy from many sources and provides lower environmental impacts and improved security of supply.
The economies of scale offered by central power plants began to fail in the late 1960s and, by the start of the 21st Century, central plants could arguably no longer deliver competitively cheap and reliable electricity to more remote customers via the grid.
Recent concept
While many avenues have been explored for providing safe and reliable power, the idea that alternative, independent energy producers could sell power back into the grid is a relatively recent concept.
With the advent of cost-effective solar installations as complementary energy generation sources, the concept of distributed generation is becoming increasingly viable. The right-sized resources for individual customers, distribution substations, or “microgrids” can offer important but little-known economic advantages.
Financial, environmental benefits
Distributed generation reduces the amount of energy lost in transmitting electricity because the electricity is generated right where it is used, and any excess can be fed back into the grid. This provides a financial as well as an environmental benefit.
Businesses use the bulk of our electricity supply, with air-conditioning, server rooms and computer systems alone constituting 60% of all power consumed. Not only is this a massive cost to business, but it is not sustainable in the long term.
Photovoltaics
The size of most commercial and industrial buildings makes them ideal for the installation of large scale industrial solar panels, and by making use of the space available to them, these businesses can not only capture huge amounts of energy, but also sell that energy back into the main grid.
Distributed generation, especially renewable technologies, will continue to gain in popularity due to technology advances, environmental benefits, political support and growing energy awareness.
Smart grid solutions
Utilities must prepare themselves for this increased penetration of renewable energy through the investigation and application of smart grid solutions. By embracing these changes proactively, utilities can begin to shape the myriad planning and operating approaches that maximise the potential long term benefits of large-scale solar installations to both the utility and its customers.
Contact Trevor de Vries, 3 W Power/AEG Power Solutions, Tel 012 907-3016,
trevor.de-vries@aegps.com
