Solar energy grid integration

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy created the Solar Energy Grid Integration System, a competitive program that encouraged solar research that can better integrate solar energy generated by panels installed on rooftops or ground-mounted into the electrical grid.

Among several goals of the program were: (1) help encourage utilities to accept solar power; and (2) development of new solar commercial products.

The competitive solar program resulted in a number of solar technology submissions to the USDOE.  Out of more than 25 companies/organizations that applied, the Department of Energy selected 12 to advance to “Stage 1.”  These were then narrowed down to 5 finalist companies.

Among those included in the finalists was PV Powered, a local, Bend Oregon-based solar inverter company, now known as Advanced Energy Industries Renewables.  Its research was aimed at determining how to effectively transfer solar power, which can be intermittent – depending on cloud cover – to an electrical grid that is consistently loaded by constant energy from burning natural gas or coal at power plants.

The Solar Energy Grid Integration System finalists also included Portland General Electric, Northern Plains Power Technologies of South Dakota and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.

The results of the solar research for the Solar Energy Grid Integration System, published this week, should take some of the heat off the Obama Administration regarding the failure of Solyandra – a solar panel manufacturer that filed for bankruptcy recently, after receiving a $535 million government-backed loan from the government two years ago.

How can smart meters help you save money?

In short, smart meters give consumers the tools they need to help them manage their electricity demands and lower utility bills.  When you have solar panels on your property and are grid-connected, they can also account for excess solar electricity generated, which can end up giving you a credit on your bill.

In short, a smart meter collects information for the smart grid.  They have been described as connecting your home to the grid in a similar manner as a cable or DSL modem connects your computer to the Internet.

Why smart meters?

Unlike the electro-mechancial analog meters with which you are probably familiar, smart meters include digital displays that precisely record the amount of energy you use, and then sends the information directly to the utility company.  That’s right…. the traditional “meter reader” is replaced with direct, 2-way communication between your property and the utility.  This is more efficient and more accurate.

Utilities can cut costs related to on-site meter reading and can even address service disruptions remotely.  The other benefit is that peak load times can be better managed.  Utilities can match real-time demands on the grid with information flowing directly to it.  Moreover, instead of simply looking at a consumer’s total consumption, smart meters pinpoint the exact times of day that electricity is used.  If you want power during peak hours, you will pay more than if you shift energy consumption to off-peak hours, say by washing dishes or doing laundry later at night.

Solar Power and Smart Meters

Generally speaking, smart meters record the solar power generated by your residential solar power system.  This allows you the opportunity for net metering to get credit for solar electricity you feed back into the grid.

Consumers are finding that they can save money with solar power and smart meters.  First, installing solar is more affordable than ever with falling prices and continued government rebates and incentives.  Second, its much easier to finance solar power, which can further cut down on the cost of solar electricity.  Experts believe that TOU (time of use) pricing via smart meters for residential use is just a few years away.  When you factor in solar power, the impact of such a structure will be minimized because homeowners can “smooth out the gaps” in generation vs. demand.  Lots of solar electricity generation during the day (when people are at school and work), and then higher demand in the evening and morning hours.

Turns out to be a win-win for both the homeowners and the utilities with solar power and smart meters!

Miami is plugging into the Smart Grid

Today, General Electric (GE) announced that the Smart Grid has come to Miami, Florida.  The Energy Smart Miami Initiative was rolled out today, providing more than a million wireless “smart meters” to each and every home in Miami-Dade County.  GE has partnered with Silver Springs Network and Cisco for technology and communications components of the smart grid in Miami.

Just in time for Earth Day, the announcement is exciting on a number of levels.  As explained in an email press release by GE:

The groundbreaking project has the potential to be the most comprehensive and holistic smart grid city implementation ever launched in the United States.  Energy Smart Miami will empower Florida Power & Light customers to use in-home devices to pay lower prices for electrical power — such as using off-peak energy on high consumption washers and dryers and plug-in vehicles.  While so-called “time of use” pricing reduces consumer energy use by 5 percent, studies show that when combined with technologies such as smart appliances, smart thermostats and home energy displays, savings can jump to an average of 25 percent.  And in a yearlong study by the U.S. Department of Energy, smart grid consumers reduced peak consumption by up to 15 percent — and overall consumption by up to 10 percent.

Time for an Energy Smart Miami

Use of $200 million from the federal Stimulus monies provided to Florida will help get the project off the ground, and will create as many as one thousand green jobs during the 2-year roll-out.

If you are familiar with the concept of a smart-grid, you’ll recognize the importance the upgrade will have to renewable energy projects like solar panels and wind.

As renewable energy production is connected to the general power grid, a “smart” computer-enabled grid is required to manage the result.  When people rely on distributed generation renewable energy instead of electricity from centralized power plants, it can be expensive to manage the variable power generation, changing usage patterns, and multiple sources.

With GE’s participation in the development of smart grid for our country’s future energy needs, we’ll get there soon.  Miami is a great test case for the rest of the nation and the world.

We’ll finally see first-hand that the efficiencies of smart grid management, when combined with sustainable renewable energy, is a critical element in the fight against global climate change and foreign oil dependence.

GE Ecomagination Solar

GE Ecomagination has a new interactive website that allows visitors to see and experience the new smart grid as never before.  3D wind turbines pop up in an animated feature that allow you to spin them faster with your own breath, like a pinwheel!  Miniature solar panels actually track the sun’s passage across the sky, illustrating the future – and the reality – of clean renewable energy.

It’s called “augmented reality” and I guarantee it will change the way people interact with the Internet in the future!

And now for the solar panel feature:

While the GE Ecomagination website may seem a little gimmicky, and perhaps not particularly useful, the “coolness” factor should get many people to visit www.plugintothesmartgrid.com to play around.

Perhaps a few more will come away from the experience with an enthusiasm for solar and wind energy.  Then we can all take a step closer to the GE Ecomagination promise: ” CO2 emissions:  Here today, gone tomorrow.”

What do you think about the augmented reality site?