What is a Smart Grid and

What Can It Do for Us?

IEEE PES Chapter

28 October 2009
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Prof. Saifur Rahman

 What is a Smart Grid?

According to United States DOE’s modern grid initiative,

an intelligent or a smart grid integrates advanced
sensing technologies, control methods and integrated
communications into the current electricity grid.

Is it Intelligent?
Is it Customer-friendly?
Does it provide more value to the customer?

2
Difference Between a Normal Grid
And a Smart Grid

Normal Phone Smart Phone

 What is a Smart Grid?
Diverse Focus Areas Have Led to Varied Definitions

Source: EPRI
 Building Blocks of a Smart Grid
Advanced Metering Sensors/Controllers
Infrastructure Demand Response
 Metering Technologies
Traditional Automatic Meter Advanced Metering
Meters Reading (AMR) Infrastructure (AMI)

Electromechanical Hybrid Hybrid or Solid

(Electromechanical State
6
+ Electronic)
Customer-Focused Applications for AMI
and Customer Gateway
 Pricing:
- Choices of dynamic pricing, facilitating demand response.
 Outage handling:
- Automatic response and restoration verification
 Load controls:
- Customers monitor energy use and determine load control
strategies in response to price signals
 Usage information:
- Real-time meter reading
- Web data access
- Hourly, daily or monthly data for customer education

7
AMI Meters in Italy for All
Consumers in the Country
Smart Metering Projects Map, United States

Key: red=electricity, green=gas, blue=water, triangle=trial or pilot, circle=project

Smart Metering Projects Map, Europe to Australia

Key: red=electricity, green=gas, blue=water, triangle=trial or pilot, circle=project

 Smart Grid
AMI Capability+

Remote detection – sensors

everywhere AMI
Central and distributed analysis Customer AMR Capability+
Voltage
Measurement Price Signals
Correction of disturbances
on the grid sent to Customer
AMR
Customer
Optimizes grid assets Outage Automated New Rate Design
Detection Meter Reads
Distribution Automation
Theft ID
Remote
Leverage data to understand
system performance better TFTN
Hourly Load
Remote Control
“Self Healing”
Meter Remote Meter
Enable use of renewable resources Reads Programming

Enable electrification of transportation

Source: EnerNex
11
A Smart Grid involves Merging
Two Infrastructures

Source: EPRI
Integrated Communications

13
 Electric Power & Communication
Infrastructures
1.Power Infrastructure

Data network Users

Central Generating Step-Up

Station Transformer
2. Information Infrastructure

Distribution Receiving Distribution

Control Center Substation Gas
Station Substation
Turbine Recip
Engine

Micro- Distribution
turbine Substation

Residential Data Commercial

Concentrator Recip Fuel
Engine cell
Photo
voltaics
Cogeneration

Batteries Flywheel

Industrial Commercial
Residential

Source: EPRI 14
 Smart Grid

Source: Altalink, Alberta, Canada

 Characteristics of a Smart Grid
• Enables active participation by consumers
• Accommodates intermittent generation and storage options
• Enables new products, services, and markets
• Integrates electric vehicles into the distribution network
• Provides power quality for the needs of a digital economy
• Anticipates and responds in a self-healing manner
• Operates resiliently in disasters, physical or cyber attacks

Source: EnerNex
 Impact of a Smart Grid
On Distributed Generation
Large Variations in DG power
outputs require large storage
and back-up generation. May not
be cost effective.

Short term load control for a large number of end-

use devices will make it possible to get quick load
relief to match fluctuations in generation.

17
 Hourly Wind Power Variation (MW) in Texas,
USA (01 and 02 Jan 2008)

2,500.0

2,000.0

1,500.0

Series1
1,000.0

500.0

0.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718192021222324

01 Jan 2008 02 Jan 2008

Installed Capacity 4,541 MW

18
Hourly Wind Power Variation (MW) in Texas,
USA (03 and 04 Jan 2008)

03 Jan 2008 04 Jan 2008

Installed Capacity 4,541 MW

19
Wind Requires Substantial Balancing Reserves

Source: US Dept of Energy

Solar Energy Sources are Highly Variable

Output from an
8MW solar PV
panel in
Colorado on
9/4/08

Source: US Dept of Energy

Back-up and Storage Options

Microturbines

22
Electric Utility Scale Storage
 Large Sodium Sulfur (NAS)
batteries have been deployed
in Japan, Europe and USA.
 High energy content,
moderate cost (US
$2,000/kW) and 15-yr life
make these attractive for grid-
connected applications.
 Round-trip effy. 75-80%
 Storage: 6 hours
 Response time: 2 msec
 High temperature (300 deg
C) and fire hazard are
concerns.
23
 NAS (Sodium/Sulfur) Battery
Terminal (-) Na
Cartridge
Terminal (+) Safety Insert

－ ＋
Sodium(Na) Electrical
Disch
Isolation

Na
Na Cartridge Ch

Safety Insert
S
520 mm
Solid Electrolyte β-Alumina
( β-Alumina )
Sodium Flow
Sulfur
(With Graphite Felt)

Cell Case 90 ｍｍ Produced by

NGK INSULATORS, LTD
 Stabilization of Wind Generation Outputs
by Battery Energy Storage System
Output fluctuations of Wind Constant output from
Wind Gen. and BESS

Wind ～ －Charge and discharge to match

Generators
output of wind generation Power System

Application:
Futanata Wind farm in Rokkasho
Village
34MW-NAS Battery - Generators: 1.5 MW × 34 Units
BESS
- NAS Battery: 2.0 MW × 17 Units
(NAS Battery)
Source: Yokoyama
 Pumped Storage
Pumped Storage can provide:
 Rapid response in “pump-up” and
generating modes to offset wind
generation variability
 Store wind energy during lower
value periods
 Prevent wind curtailment and
avoid new transmission investments
Grand Coulee Dam

 Additional capital and operating costs have to

be compared to the cost of spinning reserves
 Energy losses (~20%) related to storage
Source: US Dept of Energy
Cost and Value of Storage Options

Prices range from

US $2,000 to $4,000 per kilowatt

Return on investment depends

on life and usage

27
 “Demand Response”

Load Control
at the Customer Level can provide enough
short term load reduction

A cheaper option to get load relief

How to incentivize the customer?

28
 Tariff Options

Time-of-Use Rates and Dynamic Pricing

Must Make Load Shifting Economical

29
 Summer Load and TOU Prices
from BG&E and Dominion Power
 Summer TOU and Flat Rates from BG&E
and Dominion Power
Company Pattern Period TOU Rate Flat Rate
($/kWh) ($/kWh)

BGE On-peak 10am-8pm 0.18897

Shoulder 7am-10am
8pm-11pm 0.13140 0.15062

Off-peak 11pm-7am 0.12116

Dominion On-peak 11am-10pm
0.15085
0.06507
Off-peak 10pm-11am
0.01514
Winter Load and TOU Prices from
BG&E and Dominion Power
 Winter TOU and Flat Rates from BG&E
and Dominion Power
Company Pattern Period TOU Rate Flat Rate
($/kWh) ($/kWh)

BGE On-peak 7am-11am

5pm-9pm 0.15989

Shoulder 11am-5pm 0.13987

0.14038
Off-peak 9pm-7am 0.12154
Dominion On-peak 7am-11am
5pm-9pm 0.15085
0.06507
Off-peak 11am-5pm
9pm-7pm 0.01514
 Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle as a Storage Option

34
Source: US Dept of Energy
 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a
hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be
recharged by connecting a plug to an
electricity outlet.

20-40 kWhr of
Storge Available
36
Convergence of Different Industries in Smart Grid Space
Siemens Smart Grid
A Practical Smart Grid will Require

Technologies
Standards
Rates and Policies
Awareness and Education
Cyber-security and Privacy
 Platform for Smart Grid R&D

The electric power industry provides the platform

and the context
Telecommunication, IT and computer industries
provide the technology and software to
interface with the electric power network
The electric power industry will require new
generation of engineers who are versatile in
several disciplines
Players in the Smart Grid Space
Interdependent and Integrated

Source: NIST
 Summary
• Smart grid makes distributed generation more practical
through demand management which can absorb large
fluctuations in generator output
• Smart grid will allow higher energy sales for the same
capacity, higher load factor
• Enabling technologies
– Integrated communications
– Sensing and measurement
– Advanced appliances
– Advanced control methods
– Improved interfaces and decision support
 So, What is the Problem?

• Understanding the difference between cost and value

• Political will to introduce time-of-use rates
• Equipment interoperability standards
• Availability of appliances and devices
• Customer education and willingness to accept change

• Smart grid will not be cheap, but it will provide greater

value and cost savings in the future
How is the Smart Grid Engineered

But it must not become a monster

Source: EPRI
 Thank you

Prof. Saifur Rahman

www.ceage.vt.edu