Get the smarts on energy
We use electricity every day, and a lot of it. Air conditioners, heaters, fans, computers and phones hum away as we plug them in and turn them on. Getting smarter about how we make, use and move electricity will pave the way for electric cars, renewable energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.
The grid gets smarter. The ‘grid’ is a network of power lines that carries and distributes electricity to and around a town, city or country. Smart grids will use sensors to monitor where power is moving in the grid. Problems in the grid will be able to be fixed remotely. They also provide greater ability to incorporate and distribute renewable energy from wind and solar power.
Your house gets smarter. Houses will have smart meters that measure power coming in and going out of the house. If you have solar panels at home, smart meters can measure the amount of electricity you are making and selling back to the grid.
Your appliances get smarter. Appliances will have devices attached that tell you how much electricity they are using and will turn them on or off in non-peak and peak times. You may even be able to turn appliances on or off remotely with your mobile phone.
Power plants get smarter. Power plants find it hard to make enough electricity at peak times when everybody wants it, like in the early evening when everyone gets home. If we can use less power at these times, we won’t need to build new power plants to make the extra energy needed for peak times.
Consumers get smarter. If we know how much electricity we are using and when, we can use more electricity when it is cheaper in non-peak times, like recharging our mobile phones late at night.
At the moment we make most of our energy at coal-powered power stations that emit vast amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Reducing the amount of electricity we use will reduce carbon emissions and is one of the best things we can do for the environment.
By Beth Askham
