The difference between the 20th century’s electricity grid and the 21st century’s “Smart Grid” is data and how it is used to manage energy services. Think what an opportunity that represents for the knowledge workers of the Bay Area! The traditional grid, or “dumb grid” if you like, was based on limited information and leaves Continue reading →
electricity grid
It is a criticism frequently leveled at those promoting wind or solar power as an alternative to fossil fuels: what happens when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine? Well, now there is a smart answer, at least in Europe — we’ll simply and instantly switch to another source of clean, green power. Continue reading →
The popular impression of the U.S. electricity grid, often promoted by politicians and industry, is that it is maxed out, constantly on the verge of overload. In fact, the system is grossly oversized, built to handle extreme power demands that occur for only a few hours on the hottest days of the year. In New Continue reading →
The Government’s recent Low Carbon Transition Plan and its accompanying Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) saw one issue crop up repeatedly — the necessity of modernising the electricity grid. The present system, installed shortly after the Second World War, is quite simply not fit for purpose. Huge swathes of the UK’s wider environmental aspirations rely on Continue reading →
The vision: It’s 2 a.m. and the dishwasher starts after receiving a signal from the utility company because demand is low and electricity is cheap. The reality: Electricity grids sprawling across the U.S. are in need of an upgrade, and large information technology companies are entering the arena in a bid to drag the grids Continue reading →
In a smart grid-based effort that’s expected to yield more efficient uses of energy, water and mobility to create a more sustainable metropolis, IBM and Cisco Systems Inc. – the world’s largest maker of computer networking gear – have announced that they’re collaborating on the so-called “Amsterdam Smart City” initiative. “Now that more than half Continue reading →
From about 2007 I’ve been talking about making energy “smart.” The networked information society came into being in the second half of the 20th century, and I think the 21st century will be marked by a social structure where the real world exists in parallel with the cyber world. There is continuing technological advancement in Continue reading →
The existing electricity grid in the U.S. works–for the most part. But activity to make the grid smarter with digital technologies (see this smart grid FAQ) has finally started to pick up steam. Although there may be varying definitions, the goal of the smart grid is to make electricity distribution more efficient and reliable. In Continue reading →
“The electric grid is highly dependent on computer-based control systems. These systems are increasingly connected to open networks such as the internet, exposing them to cyber risks. Any failure of our electric grid, whether intentional or unintentional, would have a significant and potentially devastating impact on our nation” – Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chair of Continue reading →
