The electric power industry needs to be transformed in order to cope with the needs of modern digital society. Customers demand higher energy quality, reliability and a wider choice of extra services, at the same time they want energy prices to be lower.
As a consequence, a structural change in traditional electricity supply systems is demanded, which provides alternative solutions of grid integration as well as daily electricity system operation at minimal cost for society. The vision for Smart Grid is due to growing recognition for electricity grid modernisation to integrate, enable new electricity generation sources and consumption schemes. Modern power grid needs to be smarter in order to provide an affordable, reliable and sustainable supply of electricity.
The physical implementation of the smart grid communication faces tough challenges to ensure the network connectivity. The diversity in the physical characteristics of the grid, reliability, scalability and security aspects necessitates the need for applying various communication technologies to implement the network in the smart grid. The implementation of smart grid is not going to be an easy task in India – as the Indian power sector poses a number of issues such as minimising T&D losses, power theft, inadequate grid infrastructure, low metering efficiency and lack of awareness.
Smart Grid
Smart Grid is a broad collection of technologies that delivers an electricity network that is flexible, accessible, reliable and economic. Smart Grid facilitates the desired action of its users and these may include distributed generation, deployment of demand management and energy storage systems or optimal expansion and management of grid assets. In general, the ‘Smart Grid’ can be defined as ‘a system of systems’. It is a platform that enables functioning of different technologies and systems.
From the Information Technology point of view, the Smart Grid technology will significantly increase the amount, quality, and use of data received from various sensors and meters.
Figure 1: Smart Grid structure…
Another driving factor of Smart Grid is the new ‘smart’ way of energy use. It implies energy resource optimisation (e.g., own generation or distribution grid), as well as optimisation of time of use (e.g., avoiding peak hours usage). In smart grid, network flow of electricity from utility to consumer becomes a two way conversation, saving consumers money, energy, delivering more transparency in terms of end-user use, and reducing carbon emissions. Smart Grid Technology can be grouped into five key areas, Sensing and measurement, Smart meters, Phasor measuring units and Integrated communications with Advanced control. Figure 1 shows visual representation of Smart Grid concept.
The characteristics of Smart Grids are
- Optimised for best resource and equipment utilisation, open for all types and size of generation
2. Interactive (customers, retailers, markets)
3. Adaptive and scalable (for changing situations)
4. Proactive rather than reactive (to prevent emergencies)
5. Reliable and secure (from threats and external disturbance)
6. Efficient
7. Environmental friendly (using renewable energy resources)
Smart Grid from Energy Industry Point of View
The real-time two-way communications available in a Smart Grid will allow customers to be compensated for their efforts to save energy and to sell energy back into the grid through advanced metering technologies. After spreading distributed generation sources such as residential solar PV panels, small wind turbines, Fuel Cells, the Smart Grid will improve the efficiency of energy industry by providing green energy recourses and reducing peak loads. It will allow small domestic customers and businesses to sell power to their neighbours or even back into the distribution grid.
The same concept can be applied to larger commercial organisations that have renewable power systems that can give the excess power back into the grid during peak demand hours. Smart Grid platform is viewed as a core component of the solution to modern challenges such as growing electricity demand, aging utility infrastructure, and the environmental impact of the greenhouse gases produced by conventional electric generation.
Integrated Smart Grid solutions combine advanced metering technology, two-way high-speed data and power transfer, constant monitoring and analysis software, along with other related services aimed to provide location-specific real-time data as well as home energy management solutions. When combined, these solutions will significantly increase the efficiency and reliability of the electric grids.
Technology Development
Some of the technologies that enable Smart Grids are available on the market today. Smart Grids will move the utility industry into the information age as the information about energy consumption, generation, distribution and storage will become available in the real-time. Until today, the electric utility industry has lagged behind other industries in taking advantage of the modern communication and networking technologies. Therefore, first steps towards introducing Smart Grids will not be ‘creating new technologies’, but introduce and synergise the technologies of today.
Applications of Smart Grid
Demand response
Demand Response (DR) has recently gained a lot of interest among regulators, utility, consumers and government. It is a relatively simple concept, the benefits of which are mostly experienced by end-customers. It encourages consumers to reduce their electricity consumption during peak price hours. Demand response solutions vary from simple advanced metering systems to fully automatic home systems. The demand response system consists of at least two interconnected devices, installed at customer’s premises: a smart load controlling device and a smart meter. DR is a faster, cleaner, cheaper and more reliable solution compared to adding a new power plant during peak hours. Both end-customers and utilities will benefit from the introduction of this solution. The fact that both parties will save money will be a huge driver for adoption of demand response technique.
Energy storage
Energy storage across the distribution grid can provide dispatchable power that can be used during peak hours. Therefore, this solution will decrease (and consequentially eliminate) the use of expensive power plants that are introduced by system operators as a ‘last hour’ resort during peak demand hours. Also, it will make distribution network less volatile as it will smooth the load and may help to avoid consuming electricity high-price tariffs. Energy storage solution will be crucial for storing energy from renewable generators (wind and solar power are only produced at certain times, which are not necessarily coincide with the times when the electricity is needed; therefore it is important to utilise energy storage technologies to conserve electricity for times when direct generation is not possible).
Figure 2: Future home area network…
Home Area networks (HAN)
It allows Smart Grid applications to communicate with various home appliances. HAN are an extension of Advanced Metering Infrastructure, which makes possible two-way communication between devices, users, and utility. The customer can manage intelligent home appliances using real-time monitoring system according to the time-of-use tariff system. The utility will automatically determine the tariff rates according to generation/consumption data received from Smart Meters.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
The AMI includes hardware, software, communications and customer systems and meter data management software. The application layer is responsible for data collection and analysis, operational control, and real-time monitoring. The transport layer is responsible for a two-way information transfer between utility and customer.
Integration of Distributed Generation
The goal is to achieve ‘plug-and-play’ integration of renewable energy sources into Distributed Generation. In order to reach mass penetration of renewable energy sources, they must be able to deliver energy directly to end-users. Microgrid is an independent, small and self-reliant grid that generates and stores the power for the consumers within it. The microgrid can be connected to the conventional distribution grid during normal operations, but in case of any faults on the DG side the microgrid can be isolated. While being isolated or ‘islanded’ it will be able to continue to meet the electric requirements independent of the DG. The same can work in the opposite directions: the owners of renewable energy sources inside the microgrids can sell the energy back into the distribution grid.
Advanced Utility Control Systems
Advanced Utility Controls Systems (AUCS) aim to integrate different control systems and technologies, in order to support control and optimisation of a distribution grid. It consists of the following components:
- Meter Data Management (MDM)
• SCADA Systems
• Distribution Management Systems (DMS)
• Energy Management System (EMS)
• Customer Information Systems (CIS)
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Bringing together such systems will dramatically improve consumption, load forecasting, reliability, protection and performance of the grid.
Smart Grid Initiatives in India
India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF), which is a non-profit voluntary consortium of public and private stakeholders, was launched on 26th May 2010. India Smart Grid Task Force (SGTF) has been formed, which is an Inter-Ministerial Group – and will serve as a focal point for activities related to the smart grid technology. Powergrid corporation of India ltd. is coming up with Smartgrid project in Pondichery. Uttar Gujarat Vij Company limited (UGVCL) has commissioned the first smart grid at Naroda in North Gujarat. Smart-grids must help India move away from coal and oil to renewable resources as its economy grows.
Smart Grid in India can be used to: 1) Reduce distribution losses, 2) Enable decentralised power-generation and optimise usage, 3) Explore alternate methods of storage, including storage of heat (cool), 4) Handle peak-demand better, 5) Manage demand and supply to meet activities at all points of time, by using storage and high-cost instantaneous power-sources at different levels, 6) Intelligently decide where to do load shedding if no other options and 7) Enable time of day metering with remote monitoring.
Conclusion
Smart Grid platform promises to transform the way power is delivered, consumed, and accounted for. This can also facilitate network planning and construction, operation management, market trading and service in power sector. Introduction of smart grid in India will improve security, reliability, safety and efficiency of the power supply.
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