Real World Electric Energy and Connected Broadband Solutions
To follow others, to do what everyone else is doing, is not leading!
When you think of the grid today, do you think of something up to date and modern? Bad news, today’s grid is neither of those. Think of it more like a Model T car but with a "modern" dash of gauges and dials. To be fair, some parts are better, much better, than others, but even as we have become accustomed to flashy interactive displays of information with color and graphics, today’s grid is a mere overlay to a relatively archaic system of generating and delivering power to consumers. Where rocket science has been evolutionary, utility generation and transmission has not, nor is it comparatively complex like rocket science.
We need to lead with common sense advanced solutions that empower all customers. We need to fully understand, as they say, the good, the bad, and the ugly of energy, from mining, manufacturing, maintenance, life expectances, and disposal cost of all energy types. Only then can we understand the true impacts and potential solutions.
I’m very sorry to say this to everyone but energy costs will be going up, and beyond what many can afford unless major changes are made. Additionally, I believe the current approach to generate growth in the consumption of electrical power will lead to small environmental gains and at a great cost and loss of competitiveness.
I see numerous talking points that claim things that are questionable and come from ignorance to flat out lies. I support smart infrastructure and technology but as an economy and society we cannot support gaming the electrical infrastructure to drive a win toward one form of generation against another. Take note, every day I see articles on energy that are incorrect saying things like “solar cells are going down in price” when in fact the prices have risen 30-50% in just the last six months. It is true, they are less expensive now than when they became more prevalent in the market, even with this increase in cost, but clearly, they still have some issues as do all energy types. These issues vary from hidden costs that will drive the price up to misleading statements/facts about the energy type.
I have holistically studied energy for more than 40 years only going where true science took me. The facts show we can solve the green energy needs without breaking the bank or customers. With financial encouragements (subsidy, consumer tax deductions, others) even traditional energy sources can be made much cleaner, dare I say as clean as green energy when you consider the energy sources in their entirety.
No energy is completely green today. Solar panels are constructed using plastic created from petrochemicals and polymers. Wind turbines are made from fiberglass which cannot be recycled and also require lubrication using oil products. Not to mention the rare earth metals used in the components of most green energy sources. There are tradeoffs in all forms of energy production and while we, as a society, should demand clean air, sustainability, and clean water, no form of energy generation is completely “green”. Each one has varying levels of “green”.
Real world smart solutions to our current energy issues aren't being talked about. It would seem energy is more for politicians and corporations, and much less for smart science applications and most importantly, customers. Through poor policies and operations people have been injured and even died, which should never happen.
In the new world of electric power, many things have changed for utilities, grid operators, and customers. The future of power and technology has never been more upside down as the traditional grid and newer micro-grids are adding complexity and reducing reliability. With this greater complexity, many things from government regulations to security become problematic and trying to make a fair profit, while keeping energy affordable, is increasingly challenging. The shift to green energy adds more complexity and takes governmental expenditures to subsidize these ventures (it is viable in most part due to tax credits, as stated by United States Department of Energy). So, utilities need to be efficient, but they also need to look at, and embrace, new opportunities and new revenue streams or become obsolete.
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One of the last big opportunities was the smart meter. However, it can’t deliver this needed change because it is not smart enough, functional enough, or open enough to provide the level of control function utilities need and are starting to expect. Without governmental funding, even smart meters would not have been included in an electrical utility’s budget. The promises made from the installation of smart meters are increasingly unable to be fulfilled as each meter ages past a useful life. I know you must be saying, “We’ve tried other products and services and they were either failures and/or cost too much.” Smart change isn’t optional it’s mandatory to survive, smart meters were a start, now a better technology is the evolutionary game-changer needed to serve the public, utilities, and our environment.
CoolWaters Technology has the required pieces of the real solution, and this needed evolution. Through very hard work and effort from our team at CoolWaters, we have created a product called the Advance Infrastructure System, or AIS. The AIS is truly an empowering answer to better grid control at a circuit level while providing additional revenue streams through added service options for utilities. When deployed, this ecosystem hardware/software product will materially and positively affect your bottom line. The real kicker is cost.
The AIS cost is in the same range ($900-1200) as the legacy systems it replaces and significantly less than other solutions out there ($3-7K). Plus, unlike other solutions (including the smart meter), the AIS offers a financial return on investment via alternative revenue streams, reduced costs, reduced power theft, rural and urban applications, and customer options. The Quality of Life return on investment is even greater with improved communications, energy options, data feedback to customers, media options, and no more intentional blackouts. Plus, the AIS provides future proofing of the grid as it evolves.
My teams and I have always strived for the best approach when designing products, which is much harder than being a follower. We look at the whole picture when designing products. This is what all companies should do.