Smart grids help with intermittent generation
“The prominence of renewable energy in Ontario’s resource portfolio requires an increased ability to accommodate variable generation from wind and solar. Where today the grid serves primarily as a vehicle to move electricity generated in large central facilities to consumers, in the very near future, the grid will need to do much more. As the number and distribution of smaller generators grows, the operational challenge of incorporating these energy resources, while maintaining safety and reliability, will also grow. Meeting this challenge will require a smart grid.”
The benefits of a smart grid
“Our research has uncovered many potential benefits from a smart grid in the areas of economics, environment and operating performance. The ability of consumers to increasingly participate in the electricity market by adjusting their demand in response to price or other signals will help to defer the need for peaking resources and incorporate additional generation from variable sources. Improved system economics will come from reduced losses during electricity delivery (line losses) and better use of station equipment. Potential reductions in congestion will also allow greater use of the most cost effective generation and improve the capacity to move generation throughout the province. Greater ability to integrate generation and load can also reduce the cost of operating reserve and some ancillary services. Finally improved analytics and the ability for the grid to automatically restore itself from faults can reduce the scope and duration of outages, lower operations and maintenance costs, and improve service to customers.”
— From the Ontario Smart Grid Forum Final Report
“... Greater awareness of system conditions can help anticipate and address problems before they lead to outages, minimize the scope of outages that do occur, and enable more rapid restoration of power. With a smart grid, these fixes may increasingly occur automatically so that the grid becomes self healing. The ability to remotely monitor equipment condition and performance can also enhance security, help better target maintenance and improve the accuracy of replacement decisions. The information provided by a smart grid also can be used to improve power quality, which is increasingly important in operating today’s sophisticated equipment controlled by digital electronics.”
— From the Ontario Smart Grid Forum Final Report