Smart grids are intelligent power grids that incorporate IT technologies to enable real-time electricity demand and efficient energy management. They have the potential to reduce power waste, maximize the use of clean, alternative energy sources, and contribute to sustainable development.
The smart power grid – the smart grid
Since the discovery and dissemination of electricity, humanity’s use of electricity has steadily increased. Modern society has become so dependent on electricity that we cannot function for a moment without it. From household electronics to large-scale industry, electricity has become an essential resource for human civilization. Especially after Edison’s invention of the light bulb in the late 19th century, electricity spread rapidly, and power grids began to be built to provide a reliable supply of electricity. While these grids were relatively simple at the time, as industrialization and urbanization progressed rapidly, the complexity of power grids increased. We have now reached a point where they need to be more sophisticated and efficiently managed to keep up with the demand for electricity.
Today, in an era of rising electricity demand and higher power quality, simply building more power plants to supply power is no longer an option. News reports warning of power shortages, especially during the summer months when electricity demand spikes, are commonplace. But we can’t just build more power plants: thermal power plants come with their own set of fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution problems, and hydroelectric power has its own limitations. Furthermore, nuclear power plants have recently become the subject of greater public debate due to safety concerns.
For these reasons, alternative energy development and conservation are becoming essential. Green and sustainable alternative energies such as wind and solar power are being actively researched, and at the same time, attention is being focused on how to efficientize power consumption through intelligent power grids, also known as “smart grids”. A smart grid is a system that incorporates IT technology into the traditional power grid to help manage the supply and consumption of electricity more intelligently. It’s a revolutionary power grid that goes beyond simple conservation to enable more efficient utilization of power resources.
What is a smart grid?
A smart grid is an intelligent power grid system designed to integrate information and communication technology (IT) into the power grid, allowing power providers and consumers to interact. Whereas traditional power grids are one-way systems that deliver power, smart grids enable two-way communication, allowing for real-time visibility into power supply and demand. This allows for analysis of power usage patterns and provides ways to produce and consume power more efficiently. For example, intelligent meters can be implemented to identify and provide information on power supply and demand by time of day and location. These intelligent systems can go a long way toward reducing wasted surplus power and addressing conservation issues.
Smart grids allow power production and consumption to be flexibly coordinated. Because current power production systems cannot instantly reflect the volatility of power demand, they are forced to produce more power than is actually used. This results in a surplus of about 10% or more of the power needed. However, this surplus power will dissipate if nothing is done to utilize it, leading to energy waste. While pumped storage plants have been used to utilize excess power, their low output has not been an effective solution.
With a smart grid, however, power demand can be understood in real time, allowing power production to be coordinated more efficiently. This in turn reduces the production of unnecessary surplus power and minimizes the waste of power resources. Smart grids can also make electricity pricing more reasonable. Currently, industrial electricity tariffs are structured to be more expensive during the day and cheaper at night, but this is based on statistical data showing that electricity demand is higher during the day. However, in reality, this tariff structure has its limitations because electricity demand is fluid by time of day. With a smart grid, you can build a more sophisticated and rational pricing structure that reflects real-time demand data.
Smart grids can also enable power trading between individuals to maximize the utilization of power resources. For example, a system could be put in place that allows individuals who own solar generators to sell the power they generate to generate revenue. Or, individuals with electric vehicles could charge them at night when it’s cheaper and sell them when needed. This functions like a pumped storage plant, but with greater efficiency, and as a result, provides an efficient way for individuals to use their own energy resources.
The social impact of smart grids
Smart grids are more than just a way to improve the electricity supply system; they are a technology that can have a major impact on society as a whole. The flexibility of the grid strengthens the stability of a country’s economy, reduces energy waste, and contributes to environmental protection. In particular, as an integral part of sustainable development, smart grids can play an important role in reducing carbon emissions.
Smart grids are currently being actively researched in many countries around the world, including the United States, Japan, and Germany, and Korea has also established a smart grid demonstration complex on Jeju Island. These demonstration centers play an important role in experimenting with the possibilities of smart grids and accumulating the data needed for future large-scale adoption. These studies are also sparking discussions about how smart grids can contribute to the global power grid.
So far, we’ve covered the concept of smart grids, their capabilities, and their potential societal impact. Smart grids will play an important role in helping humanity move toward a sustainable energy system, and they will also dramatically change future energy policies. As advanced IT technologies are incorporated into the grid, energy will no longer be a resource that is simply consumed, but one that can be managed more sophisticatedly and intelligently.
