ALL ABOUT SMART GRIDS

1) What does smart means in smart grid?

ANS) Anything that involves two way communication is called as smart such as smart phones, smart tv etc.

2) What is smart grid?

ANS) Most of us do keep two cellphones with us while travelling. One being an ordinary phone such as Nokia 3310 and other is an expensive one like i-phone 6. Both the phones are used for messaging and call purpose but what does “I-phone 6” has advantage over nokia 3310?. I-phone 6 has other features such as camera, video voice recording, music, games etc.

Now apply the similar concept to the grids. Smart grid is just an evolutionary form of our traditional grid having a two way communication between the utility company and the consumer which provides benefits to both the consumer and the utility such as smart meters, smart appliances, renewable energy resources, energy efficient resources etc.

3) What does two way communication means in terms of smart grid?

ANS) Here the two way communication will be between the consumer and utility company. That is, the utility company can monitor the consumer’s electricity consumption round the clock and if they find that a particular consumer’s device is causing the overloading on the system and increasing the burden on the system than utility company can turn off that device from their ends or they can inform the consumer to switch off that devices.

4) How two way communication is done in smart grid?

ANS) Communication is done through PLC (power line communication). Power-line communication (PLC) is a communication method that uses electrical wiring to simultaneously carry both data and electric power.

Other methods such as IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee), IEEE 802.11 (wireless LAN (WLAN) or Wi-Fi) and IEEE-802.16 (WiMAX), GSM, GPRS

5) Is smart grid all about smart meters?

ANS) There is a misconception that smart grid is all about smart metering. Instead there are many other things involves in smart grid such as:

1)     Employment of smart devices.

2)     Tracing the location of faults.

3)     Self-healing of grid.

4)     Preventing blackouts.

5)     Real time dynamic pricing

6)     Reducing the gap between demand and supply.

7)     Monitoring of grid health.

8)     Reducing electricity theft

9)     Remote controlling of different appliances from a mobile app.

6) What benefits it provides to the utility company?

ANS) Smart grid provides many advantages to utility. The key benefits are:

·       MONITORING GRID HEALTH:

On the transmission and distribution side, sensors and digital relays will be installed on power lines which will enable utility to operate system with greater efficiency. Devices such as SYNCHROPHASORS, can sample voltage and current 30 times a second or faster giving utility and system operator, a far more accurate view of grid’s health. A broad deployment of synchrophasors could be used as an early warning sign to help or prevent faults before they turn into blackouts.

·        SMART METERING

Another application of smart grid that would be more visible to user would be the introduction of smart meters which could track electricity use in real time and can transmit data to the utility company.

Once smart meters are installed, Power Company can determine the location of outages (area where there is no light). Utility company won’t have to send staff to read meters.

·        REDUCING GAP BETWEEN DEMAND AND SUPPLY

It becomes easier for the utility to reduce the gap between demand and supply by reducing consumption at times of peak demand such as during very hot or cold weather.

·        PREVENTING BLACKOUT

If there is unbalancing of power, like there is more demand of electricity as compared to the supply. Then this unbalancing can combine with other grid events to trigger blackout. Since there are smart sensors deployed on the power lines that provides data to the utility, they will detect the unbalancing. And hence utility company can act on it and prevent the blackout

·        PREVENTING ELECTRICITY THEFT:

Problems like electricity theft can be sent by meters in real time and utility can act upon it instantly.

7) What benefits it provides to the consumers?

·        MONITOR THEIR ELECTRICITY USAGE:

Smart meters will communicate with smart devices in homes such as smart thermostat and other smart electrical appliances that will monitor electricity usage. The consumer will be able to see to access information via web based portal, through which they will be able to see the electricity consumption of device and as well as control that device.

·        REDUCE IN THE ELECTRICITY BILL:

Utility will able to predict the peak demand time and if demand charges are implemented in Pakistan than consumer will know the peak demand time and they can reduce their bill by consuming less electricity at peak demand times.

8) What is self-healing in smart grid? How it is done?

ANS) Self-healing is the ability of the grid to automatically isolate the faulty section from the rest of the grid. If a fault occurs in a system than traditionally it used to be removed manually but with the advancement of smart grid, it will itself eliminate the fault part from the grid without manual intervention.

In self-healing grid we have a ring main grid network having RMU’s with at least two isolator and one breaker arrangement. The communication would be done between two FTU’S via gprs. At the time of fault on a particular section, the respective isolator automatically opens up and eliminate the faulty part.

This is done within 15-30 seconds depending upon the bandwidth of communication between two FTU’S.

NOTE:

FTU’s = - Feeder terminal units (FTU) play a crucial role in delivering electricity to consumers They monitor I/O statuses by collecting and processing digital and analog data.

RTU’s= Ring Main Unit (RMU) is a HT panel having 3 nos. of switches (Circuit Breakers or Isolators or LBS) that are 2 for incoming one for outgoing.

9) What are issues related to smart grid?

·        CONVERTING A GRID TO A SMART GRID:

Converting a grid into a smart grid is not an easy task at all. It requires lots of investment and proper planning. Deployment of sensors on transmission line, integrating renewable energy into smart grid, using advance communication technologies, installing new energy meters etc. These things requires huge investments.

·        RISK OF HACKING OF METERS:

Using internet for real time data transfer can be risky. One simulation found that malware experts can easily infiltrate (hack) one smart meter and spread the virus to 15000 meters within a day, enabling hackers to remotely shut off power within a click of button.

·        REAL TIME PRICING:

Real time pricing means, that the customers will be charged more during the peak hours of the day. It is implemented throughout the world but is not familiar in Pakistan. It provides advantage and disadvantages both. Advantage would be the consumer that are able to reduce the consumption during peak hours can reduce their electricity bill. Disadvantage would be that institutions such as hospitals or industries which can’t reduce their electricity usage during peak hours will be heavily billed.

·        KILL SWITCH:

Utility can switch off any device of a consumer if that devices would be consuming more electricity and will be a burden to the system. Hence it provides no control of consumer over his appliances. Utility can switch off any device instantly by what is called a KILL SWITCH.

10) Renewable energy integration in smart grid?

ANS) Renewable energy will be integrated in smart grid by different sources such as wind, solar etc by using power electronic converters. This will reduce the burden on the utility company

11) Is smart grid suitable for Pakistan?

ANS) This concept is still new in Pakistan. Although different utility companies are working towards this idea by implementing smart meters and deploying various sensors in the system. But still this requires, huge investment, planning and most importantly educating people about the advantages of smart grid.