Mindzle

Our current electrical supply system is a collection of
regional networks that were built to generate, transmit,
and distribute power from fossil fuels and river dams. As
more and more power comes from renewable energy sources,
the grid must be updated to transmit and distribute power
from different areas in the country and different kinds of
power generation systems.

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The electrical supply chain incorporates several key
components:

– Power generation. Power is generated through several
means: from coal, oil and nuclear, to wind, solar,
hydroelectric and geothermal.

– Power transmission. Power is then transmitted throughout
the country using high voltage lines.

– Power distribution. The next step in the chain is to
distribute the electricity from the substations to
commercial, industrial, and residential users.

As the smart grid evolves, two components will become more
evident to all users.

– Energy storage. Although utilities have always used
energy storage systems to manage power, a wider range of
users will use energy storage systems to store power from
more variable sources of energy.

– User consumption management. A new component to the
system is software that enables residential, commercial,
and industrial customers manage their own power consumption
in real time.

As more hi tech elements are added to the grid throughout
the electrical supply chain, we’ll all be able to fine tune
our use of power in real time. Experts indicate this
transformation to the smart grid will touch everyone in
multiple ways. In the near future, we’ll be highlighting
some new developments in the smart grid sector.

Current Electric Grid

Before you start exploring the range of developments in
smart grid, take some time familiarizing yourself with our
current electric grid. Thanks to a recent series by NPR,
you can get a good visual overview of the current electric
grid, and some indications of potential enhancements to the
grid with the help of a few maps. 

When you open the map, click on each of the tabs, to find a
visual representation of the following five topics.

The Grid:

This first map shows the current electric grid (blue lines)
and the proposed grid and linkages (orange lines and the
link symbols through the middle of the country.)

Please note: You can click on various parts of the key area
to turn on and off various features of each map. By turning
off various features you can see the elements you want to
focus on.

Sources of Power:

The second map provides an interactive map that allows you
to explore how various states are powered. For example,
move your mouse over various states to access a pop up note
with the mix of power sources for that state.

If you want an overview of how many states use a particular
power source, select the power source in the drop down
menu. Seeing the pattern of power sources used by various
states provides insights into the political climate
throughout the country.

Power Plants:

This map uses various sized dots to indicate the amount of
power generated by power plants throughout the country. If
you want to learn more about a particular plant, hover over
the dot for the details.

If you want to see where the power plants are for a
particular kind of power, use the drop down menu to make
your selection.

Adding Renewables to the Grid

Solar Power:

The color in this map shows where the most solar energy
hits the United States. At a glance you can see the
Southwest is a key location for solar.

The gold lines indicate proposed transmission lines to get
solar power to the grid. (Remember you can click on the key
to turn elements of a given map off to help you see the
details better.)

Wind Power:

The dark gray color in this map shows where the wind blows
faster. You’ll notice a number of these locations are off
the coast. Offshore wind turbines are a bit tricky and
expensive to install, so we’ll have to see how that
industry develops.

As with the solar map, moving power generated from wind
farms into the electric grid is going to take some
additional transmission lines. Although these lines don’t
represent where the lines will exist, they do indicate the
size of the transmission lines required to do the job.
There is one set that will need to be installed before 2030
and another set after 2030.

For more detailed information about the grid, check out
NPR’s series of stories on this topic. 

Key organizations

These organizations provided information for these maps.

– American Electric Power (www.aep.com)
– American Wind Energy Association (www.awea.org)
– Center for American Progress (www.americanprogress.org)
– Department of Energy (www.energy.gov)
– Edison Electric Institute (www.eei.org)
– Energy Information Administration (www.eia.doe.gov)
– Electric Power Research Institute (www.epri.com)
– Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (www.ferc.gov)
– National Renewable Energy Laboratory (www.nrel.gov)
– U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov)
– Western Resource Advocates
(www.westernresourceadvocates.org)

Actions You Can Take

– Familiarize yourself with the overall structure of this
sector. It’s going to be a big influence on every industry
as the specifics of the smart grid unfold. You must have a
general understanding of this sector, at a minimum.

– Dig a bit deeper. Choose a couple of the associations
and governmental agencies to explore. In my experience,
these websites are a treasure trove of information.
Bookmark these websites, visit often, take your time, learn
as much as you can.

– Look at what’s happening in your geographic area.
Understanding the mix of power in your region gives you
insights about the challenges your state faces in going
green and becoming more sustainable.

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