The Smart Grid.
IEEE has an article on how grid visualization and Google Earth were used to speed up restoration of power after hurricane Irene.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/grid-visualization-efforts-helped-heal-after-hurricane
Developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, VERDE (Visualizing Energy Resources Dynamically on Earth) allowed utilities, emergency managers, the Department of Energy and repair crews to have a bird's eye view of transmission line status over the Eastern seaboard. This helped restore power in less than the previous average time for an event of this magnitude. It started development after the 2003 East Coast blackout.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Plug in hybrid vehicles to emerge
The power grid has been around for a century. Hybrid vehicles are familiar to us all over the last decade. They are about to meet in the Plug in Hybrid. A few conversions have been done privately, but now the major automakers are going to start selling OEM plug in hybrids.
The difference with a plug in hybrid is that it will be connected to the power grid a lot of the time. It will charge overnight, or during the day while parked, and the battery will be used for much of the transportation until the gasoline engine is needed. When connected to the grid, it might even be used as a power source, with the hybrid owner selling power to the grid at peak times.
Some of the issues to be addressed beyond the technology are the treatment of the vehicle when it's connected to the grid. Sometimes it is a load, sometimes it is a generator. Additionally, road construction and repair is traditionally paid for with fuel taxes. Once a significant number of vehicles are operating without filling up at the pump, how are road projects to be fairly funded?
The difference with a plug in hybrid is that it will be connected to the power grid a lot of the time. It will charge overnight, or during the day while parked, and the battery will be used for much of the transportation until the gasoline engine is needed. When connected to the grid, it might even be used as a power source, with the hybrid owner selling power to the grid at peak times.
Some of the issues to be addressed beyond the technology are the treatment of the vehicle when it's connected to the grid. Sometimes it is a load, sometimes it is a generator. Additionally, road construction and repair is traditionally paid for with fuel taxes. Once a significant number of vehicles are operating without filling up at the pump, how are road projects to be fairly funded?
Thursday, September 15, 2011
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