About Social Media Today
Part One
Part Two
In order to facilitate the transformation to a more efficient and lower-emitting electricity system that continues to meet the needs and expectations of a growing population, a massive technology shift is required. Canada’s future electricity needs must be met in part by generation, transmission, and distribution technologies and systems which are, in some cases, still in the early stages of research and development.
Such technologies should continue to include both large, central generating stations, such as advanced nuclear plants, hydroelectric facilities, and clean coal facilities with carbon capture and storage (CCS), as well as a host of renewable and distributed generation options, including wind, geothermal, and solar. Canada’s transmission and distribution systems must be expanded and modernized to accommodate new load, to allow for the integration of renewable and distributed generation, and to allow for increased efficiency and customer control over electricity services.
An important element of this technological transformation is the concept of a “Smart Grid”. For the most part, today’s electricity grid is passive and is limited to moving electricity in a single direction, from the point of generation to the customer. The Smart Grid will use advanced communication and computer technology to create an Internet-like network which accommodates the two way flow of electricity and information.
The Smart Grid holds great potential to increase efficiency and grid reliability. Intelligent automated systems, such as “Smart Meters”, will allow consumers of electricity to make decisions about their power use based on the time of day and the price of electricity. This increased consumer control will enable increases in electricity conservation as well as more efficient use of electricity. On the producer side, grid monitoring and management systems will improve overall operational performance and help prevent major outages.
Smart Grid potential goes beyond improving efficiency of existing infrastructure – it can also enable increased electricity supply and the electrification of currently hydrocarbon-based technologies. The Smart Grid will allow new variable generation sources, such as wind, solar and other renewable technologies, to be reliably integrated into the power system. Smart Grid technology could also enable the wide-spread adoption of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).
It is important to note, however, that the Smart Grid is not a single project, but rather a series of actions by a variety of entities to modernize the electricity system. Realization of a Smart Grid will involve further research and development of new technologies, as well as significant investment in existing electricity transmission and distribution networks, which must be adapted to be interoperable with new, advanced technologies. Finally, consensus on standards for the various equipment and technology that constitutes the Smart Grid will be important for allowing interoperability between its various components. Canada must work together with the US in developing such consensus in order to maintain grid reliability and security within the greater North American market.
President and CEO Canadian Electricity Association
