{"id":3390,"date":"2022-05-02T14:48:31","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T14:48:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itegriti.com\/kw022024\/?p=3390"},"modified":"2022-09-12T10:30:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-12T10:30:15","slug":"smart-grid-requires-re-engineering-of-the-electricity-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itegriti.com\/kw022024\/2022\/cybersecurity\/smart-grid-requires-re-engineering-of-the-electricity-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart Grid Requires Re-engineering of the Electricity Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. electric grid is something of an engineering wonder. But is it smart enough? Originating in 1882<\/a> over copper wiring and becoming accessibly cheap to the public by the mid-1960s, the grid has underpinned every engineering advancement in America since its debut: the toaster, the assembly line, vacuums, rocket ships, the first computer, hairdryers, and the automobile (though not in that order). Few of us would know that our current state of ease relies on a system<\/a> of over 9,200 generating units, 600,000 miles of transmission lines, and over 1 million megawatts of generating capacity. It\u2019s a feat.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s wrong with it? Nothing, really. The only problem is that times have changed around it, and its current capacity was not built to handle the load of 2022 \u2013 or beyond. We\u2019re already stretching its patchwork capacity as it is, and it will continue to be strained until we can revamp the system with a Smart Grid.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll investigate what that means, why a Smart Grid is needed, and how to make the switch.<\/p>\n

Why the US needs a Smart Grid<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What\u2019s a Smart Grid? We\u2019ll answer that in a minute, but for now, we\u2019ll go into why the current grid is not enough.<\/p>\n

Despite over a half a million miles of power lines, the current system can\u2019t change its stripes \u2013 it was built to give, not receive energy. It doesn\u2019t account for solar panels, electric vehicle charging, or wind turbines (and other forms of energy) that contribute back into the system, not to mention a host of connected devices, smart appliances, streaming services, gaming consoles, Wi-Fi connections, and more. Alexa, list some uses for electricity in the home. You get the picture.<\/p>\n

And, as we move towards Net Zero Emissions<\/a> goals, hour-by-hour flexibility will be needed to balance the electrical needs of a connected society. Plus, large swings in weather around the world will offset power reliability (think winter storms, floods, and fires), so a system that can load balance and make adjustments in seconds is increasingly necessary.<\/p>\n

The grid needs an update, a reboot from the ground up if it\u2019s going to be able to handle the transformative effects of electricity usage in the 21st century. As it is, this 70-year-old model is already pushed to its limits, being forced to do more than it was intended to do with its aging infrastructure and our advancing technological requirements. Let\u2019s give it a break \u2013 or an update.<\/p>\n

What a Smart Grid Really<\/em> Does<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A smart grid can provide answers to a lot of the problems of our current grid system. To look at the full effect of what it will provide, we need to take a deeper look at what it will replace.<\/p>\n

More than a power generating machine, the current US electric grid is an \u201cecosystem<\/a> of asset owners, manufacturers, service providers, and government officials at Federal, state, and local levels, all working together to run one of the most reliable electrical grids in the world.\u201d It\u2019s the sum of its parts, and then some. Replacing it requires buy-in and transformation at many different levels, but the results will be great. No \u2013 they will be necessary.<\/p>\n

Given our high technological reliance, we need a grid that is \u201csmarter\u201d, more responsive, and that relies on the technologies it helped to create. For example, a modernized grid can provide energy more consistently, with fewer blackouts (here\u2019s looking at you, California) and with more efficiency. Great. How? By using smart sensors called Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) that regulate how much energy is being used, reroute it when necessary, and give both the power company and consumers alike real-time data on how much energy they\u2019re using and where it’s all going. In technical terms, it does the following:<\/p>\n