Smart Grids

The European Renewable Energy council and Greenpeace published an extremely visionary report on smart grids to distribute decentralized renewable energy sources in a highly efficient way. It uses distributed energy resources and advanced communication and control technologies to deliver electricity more cost-effectively with lower greenhouse gas intensity and in response to consumer needs.

Typically, smaller forms of electricity generation, like PV systems, micro turbines, fuel cells, are combined with energy management to balance out the load of all the users on the system.

Advanced type of controls to improve the grid efficiency with smart meters that show real-time use and costs and can respond to remote communication and dynamic electricity pricing.

Clearly it will also impact the balancing, meaning short-term adjustments needed to manage fluctuations in demand and supply of energy. Variable power generation sources, mainly non-conventional power generation, are needed to mitigate the risk that the forecasted power generation will not be reached, for instance, due to changing weather conditions.