Case Study 1: What’s the Buzz on Smart Grids?

CASE STUDY 1 Whats the Buzz on offend Grids? 1. How do unused footb every fields differ from the current electric automobileity infrastructure in the United States? Current electricity grids do not provide whatsoever information about how consumers actually use elan vital. That give aways it difficult to develop much efficient approaches to dispersal. The current system offers few ways to handle provide provided by alternative skill sources. Without useful information, energy companies and consumers have hassle making good decisions about using energy wisely. A judicious grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using digital engine room to save energy reduce be increase reliability and transp atomic number 18ncy The smart grid enables information to flow back and forth between electric originator providers and consumers and stomachs both consumers and energy companies to make more intelligent decisions regarding energy habit and production. provides information that would help utilities raise prices when submit is extravagantly and deject them when demand lessens. helps consumers program high-use electrical appliances like heating and air conditioning outlay times customs systems to reduce during of peak usage. could possibly lead to a five to fifteen percent decrease in energy consumption. 2. What management, organization, and technology issues should be considered when developing a smart grid? Management education feedback would allow consumers to see how much energy they are consuming at any moment and how much its costing them. That would allow them to make better decisions about using appliances like air conditi one(a)rs and furnaces. They could potentially lower their energy bills. However, governments and energy companies need to help consumers overcome the intrusive feelings associated with the technology.Dashboard observe software must be easy for consumers to understand and use. Organizations There are many d isincentives for energy companies associated with smart grids. Operating budgets and profits would be heavily impacted if consumers greatly reduced their energy consumption. Implementation costs would be extremely high, even with federal government assistance. Consumer backlash is already obvious in the few experimental cases to date. Without properly structuring the implementation, that backlash could grow against the energy companies.Technology Networks and switches for power management, sensor and monitoring devices to track energy usage and distribution trends systems to provide energy suppliers and consumers with usage data, communications systems to relay data along the unblemished energy supply system, and systems linked to programmable appliances to run them when energy is least(prenominal) costly, are all expensive and time consuming to retrofit into all the homes across the nation. Basically, the entire energy infrastructure would require retrofitting. 3.What challenge to the reading of smart grids do you think is most likely to hamper their learning? Some challenges to the development of smart grids include Changing the infrastructure of the entire electric grid across the nation Installing two-way meters that allow information to flow both to and from homes and businesses Creating dashboards that are user-friendly Extremely high costs of retrofitting the entire grid infrastructure, estimated to be as high as $75 billion Potential intrusiveness of new technology perceive and real loss of privacy Potential economic impact on energy companies 4. What other areas of our infrastructure could benefit from smart technologies? Describe one example not listed in the case. One example that could benefit from smart similar to the electric grids is monitoring water usage in homes and businesses. bracing technologies could allow water utilities and consumers to Monitor water flows much like electric usage Turn off lawn sprinklers during the heat of the day or base on predetermined schedules Use monitors in lawns and around plants and shrubs to prevent over- or under-watering Monitor evaporation rates Monitor fountains, and other water for usage pools, features of usage 5. Would you like your home and your community to be part of a smart grid? Why or why not? Explain. Yes, I would like my home to incorporate the new smart grid technology because it offers to save energy, reduce cost, and increase reliability. Understandably, there may be costs associated with this production such as maintenance, installation, etc. However, I would be volition to pay a little extra up front if I would be saving a lot more throughout its usage. not to mention helping the environment would not be a gravid incentive.