The electricity sector could shave up to 18 percent off its energy use and carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 by aggressively embracing smart-grid technologies, according to a new analysis.

Smart grid-related savings would come from a number of factors, most significantly from a "conservation effect" as consumers incorporate feedback on their energy use, the study found. Additional factors include the use of power diagnostics to tune homes and smaller commercial buildings and increased use of wind and solar generation.

"The magnitude of these reductions suggests that, while a smart grid is not the primary mechanism for achieving aggressive national goals for energy and carbon savings, it is capable of providing a very substantial contribution to the goals for the electricity sector," the authors found.

Led by Rob Pratt, a researcher with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and leader of the lab's Energy Systems Transformation Initiative, the study does not aim to assess the environmental impacts of smart-grid technologies or argue their cost-effectiveness, the report notes.

Rather, it assesses the energy and CO2 savings that might accrue from a group of technologies that are typically justified because they promise to improve the reliability and efficient operation of the power system.

Based on published research studies and new analyses, the study identified nine mechanisms by which a smart grid can reduce energy use in the electricity sector.

A key savings stems from "demand response" -- or more simply, from conservation -- that arises in homes and small businesses when smart-grid technologies make usage data available. The study estimated demand response could save 6 percent of those buildings' energy use, which amounts to 3 percent of electricity overall.

Another chunk of savings, about 1.5 percent, can come from better insight into the breakdown of electric load at a site. New data mining capabilities are an enabling technology, the authors found, that can allow for more targeted spending on particularly beneficial upgrades.

The authors attributed another 3 percent savings to support for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Smart charging infrastructure is a central component of new vehicle technology plans that hinge on charging cars during off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper and less carbon intensive.

The analysis is based on a full availability of smart-grid technologies by 2030.

In a side note, the authors point out that for all the savings potential in smart grid technologies, they will also slightly increase electric loads as electric substations get new computer servers and communication capabilities are built into a host of thermostats, refrigerators, dryers and the like.

"While the magnitude of this increase is small and may not be considered important," the authors note, "it does point to the need for technology developers to minimize the increased loads of smart grid technologies."

Reprinted from Greenwire with permission from Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC. www.eenews.net, 202-628-6500

5 Comments

1. 1. jtdwyer 07:28 PM 1/21/10

   With admittedly little investigation, it appears that the 'Smart Grid technology' proposal will simply allow electricity users to collect better information about their usage so that, with additional investment by users, they could better control their usage. Hopefully I'm missing something.
   
   A far greater benefit could be gained by investing in research and development of fundamental technology to improve the efficiency of power transmission. The opportunity to lower costs and reduce consumption is enormous, as are current energy losses.

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2. 2. mike cook 11:42 PM 1/21/10

   One problem with the green energy revolution is that wind, solar, and geo-thermal installations tend to be of very large size only in the more remote areas. This means that huge transmission lines have to be built to collect energy from dispersed production areas and take the energy to the cities, which seems to be where socio-economic forces are still driving people to live in order for the most of them to obtain higher wages than generally available in rural areas.
   
   Long transmission lines unfortunately mean huge losses of energy due to the electrical resistance even of copper and aluminum alloys. Unless someone invents a material that makes high voltage practical with near-zero resistance, longer power lines are not only going to be a visual blight upon the land, but also every time you see those tall power towers supporting lines that span the land in graceful sags you will know that see are seeing power being wasted.

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3. 3. jtdwyer 02:56 AM 1/22/10

   Mike Cook - Thanks for better explaining the source of electrical power transmission loss. While not currently economically attractive for regional power company investments, national investment in an optimized network of supercooled long distance transmission facilities might pay for itself by recouping losses, for example. Funding of research in this area could be very beneficial.

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4. 4. Georgy 01:02 PM 1/22/10

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5. 5. eco-steve 12:42 PM 1/25/10

   In Europe within two years new heating systems will be fitted with condensation units and stirling engines to generate electricity from the heat that previously went wasted up the chimney. (Curiously, the overall energy efficiency can be over 100%). It is incredible that stirling engines have not been massively used in the past, as they are theoretically much more efficient than internal combustion engines...

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