Smart+Grid



Smart Grid is a Sustainability Problem ** The sustainability implications of a growing population and the efficient functioning of the electric power grid first came to my attention while researching peak oil. In “The Olduvai Theory” Richard Duncan aims to prove that “ 1) electrical power is crucial end-use energy for industrial civilization; 2) the big blackouts are inevitable; and 3) the proximate cause of the collapse of industrial civilization, if and when it occurs, will be that the electric power grids go down and never come back up.” The American Recovering and Reinvestment Act passed in 2009 allocated $15.4 billion to building a smart grid and $3.4 billion to electric car technologies. The upgrading of the electric power grid is a priority in order to eliminate risk of black outs and maintain the comfort of living in America. For example, American homes contain about “23 products that are powered by electricity” (“Value of Electricity”). Improvements to the electric grid are also motivated by the expected increase of electricity usage. Electricity usage in the U.S. is predicted to increase by 28% by 2035, while worldwide electricity consumption is predicted to double to 33.3 kWh by 2030 (“Value of Electricity” and “Building the Smart Grid”).

[|Wikipedia's breakdown of money going to energy from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act] Smart meters are one component of a smart grid. Smart meters measure the can measure the electricity consumption of individual appliances and then the results are sent to homeowners in their bill so that they can become more familiar with their consumption habits. Eventually smart meters could help establish price differentials of electricity throughout the day so that consumers are financially persuaded to use less electricity at peak times. One source has said that “when people are made aware of how much power they are using, they reduce their use by about 7%” (“Building the Smart Grid”). Electronics Design, Strategy, and News have cited that “500 million meters worldwide could be replaced over the next 10 years, resulting in semiconductor sales of at least $7.5 billion” (Harbert). The U.S. is expected to install 18 million smart meters (Engle). The benefit of increasing production of meters so drastically is questionable. The production of integrated circuit products is energy intensive and the production process also uses many chemicals which can harm workers or leak into the environment (Harbert). The table below is taken from a study of “Life cycle assessment of an integrated circuit product” and shows the high energy density of silicon, 35,000 MJ/kg, which is used in integrated circuits that would compose a smart meter. Another article calculated the affects of semiconductor production of fossil fuel use. It said “fossil fuels used in production total 600 times the mass of the final product, indicating that the environmental weight of semiconductors far exceeds their small size.” The attempt to manage homeowner’s energy consumption is costing a great up front expenditure of energy.

(Taiariol)

Another proposed facet of the smart grid”is the incorporation of plug in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). There is a concerted effort to produce PHEVs; 2015 there will supposedly one million PHEVs on the road (“Stimulus”). PHEVs are championed for their ability to reduce petroleum use, promote “energy independence” for America, and reduce fossil fuel use by 28% (“Electricity Emissions”). Studies have found that America wouldn’t even need to add to our current generating capacity and we’d still be able to accommodate switching 73% of our vehicle to PHEVs (“Building the Smart Grid”). However, interpreting NYISO’s pie chart of New York states’ energy profile, it is clear that 71% of New York’s energy is from fossil fuels. Therefore, it seems that proliferating use of PHEVs would ensure that these fossil fuel generators keep running. Currently there are three battery types used in PHEVs: NiMH, Co/Ni based Li-ion, and iron phosphate based Li-ion, with the Li-ion being touted as “potentially best candidates” (Pesaran). A study of the demand for and mining of metals needed for NiCd, NiMH, or Li-based batteries concluded that mining “of metals may result in the release of metals in a more or less toxic form than if naturally released.” It went on to establish the many variables that must be considered when assessing the risk of mining and that make it difficult to assess the environmental risk of mining the metals (Rydh). The risk of batteries leaking metals into drinking water is of concern as well. In 2006 European Union has passed a law mandating increased battery recycling in an effort to keep batteries from leaking in landfills (Meller). However the U.S. does not currently have policies in place that address the disposal and recycling of Li-ion batteries (Mitchell). A discussion of such policies is needed before deploying Li-ion batteries in America’s car fleet. Another drawback to PHEVs is the predicted rise of certain emissions. PHEVs could affect an increase of nitrogen oxides by 267%, particulate matter 10 by 64%, and sulfur oxides by 988% (“Electricity Emissions”). Currently emissions of sulfur oxides are limited because sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide can form sulfuric acid which is responsible for acid rain. The energy put forth to produce a new fleet of PHEVs, the need to continue deriving energy from fossil fuel sources, the lack of policy to deal with mining, disposing, and recycling batteries, and the predicted increase in certain emissions certainly warrants greater questioning of this new “green” technology.

(“Powering New York”) Smart grid is a complex sustainability issue because several different technologies are being presented under the “smart grid” umbrella with a connotation of being “environmentally friendly.” These technologies are necessitated to ensure the reliability and constant functioning of the electric power grid. Although the electric grid is not a finite structure and can be built upon, its growth will enable increased use of energy. The ability of smart meters to change the amount of energy at peak times is admirable, but the problem it solves (extending the use of 50 year old infrastructure for a growing population) mirrors a common theme in sustainability problems: humans are reaching the limits of our environment. I see the transformation of reduced peak hours to be slow in coming. Few people have appliance that automatically turn on, and the peak in usage in the summer at the end of the workday is due to turning on air conditioners. Work schedules would have to be staggered in order to prevent peak usage due to air conditioners. Replacing our combustion engine cars with PHEVs is characteristic of our culture of obsoleteness and tendency to throw away one technology for one more fashionable. None of the research of PHEVs commented on what is to be done with all of our old cars, or the magnitude of resources that would be dedicated to the new PHEVs. The solution of PHEVs is attractive because they represent a success for capitalism and give car manufactures another chance to reap reward. I am an electric power engineer and I am excited to study these complex problems as well as question their actual benefits to society. In the same way that technologies can present sustainability conundrums, understanding the technologies, their underlying mathematics, and their minute details offers me hope in detangling the matrix that is the power grid. The devotion that great scientists have had to uncovering the logic behind the unexplainable is inspiring. The sustainability problems related to the electric grid can seem overwhelming. My naivety as a student offers me hope concerning the sustainability of the electric grid and motivation to learn more. Creating a sustainable dependence on the electric grid requires merging broad observations of culture with engineering skills and scientific knowledge.

__ References: __ "Building the Smart Grid." //Economist// 391.8634 (2009): 15-17. Web. 26 Mar 2010. [].

Duncan, Richard. "The Olduvai Theory." //Social Contract// Winter 2005-2006: n. pag. Web. 13 Mar 2010. [].

"Electricity Emissions." //Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center//. U.S. Department of Energy, n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2010. .

Meller, Paul. "EU approves battery recylcing law." //Computer World//. N.p., 07 July 2006. Web. 29 Mar 2010. .

Mitchell, Robert. "Lithium ion batteries: High-tech's latest mountain of waste." //Computer World//. N.p., 26 Aug 2006. Web. 29 Mar 2010. .

Pesarans, A. "Battery Choices for Different Plug-in HEV Configurations (Presentation)." //Conference: Prepared for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Forum & Technical Roundtable on 12 July 2006, Diamond Bar, California//. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO., 12 Jul 2006. Web. 29 Mar 2010. .

Pesaran, A, T Markel, and A Simpson. "Cost-Benefit Analysis of Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Technology (Presentation)." //Conference: Prepared for the 22nd International Electric Vehicle Symposium, 25-28 October 2006, Yokohama, Japan//. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO., 01 Oct 2006. Web. 29 Mar 2010. .

"Powering New York." New York Independent System Operator, 2008. Web. 29 Mar 2010. . Rydh, Carl Johan, and Bo Svard. "Impact on global metal flows arising from the use of portable rechargable batteries." //Science of the Total Environment// 302.1-3 (20 Jan 2003): 167-184. Web. 29 Mar 2010. . "Smart Grid at NYISO." New York Independent System Operator, n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2010. .

"Stimulus Package Delivers $2.4 Billion for Electric Vehicle Projects." //Environmental Leader//. N.p., 20 March 2009. Web. 28 Mar 2010. . Taiariol, Fulvio, Patrizia Fea, Claudio Papuzza, Raffaella Casalino, Enrico Galbiati, and Stefano Zappa. "Life Cycle Assessment of an Integrated Circuit Product." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2010. .

Willaims, Eric. "Environmental impacts of microchip manufacture." (2004): n. pag. Web. 28 Mar 2010. ..

"Value of Electricity." //Smart Climate Policy//. Edison Electric Insitute, n.d. Web. 27 Mar 2010. .

__ Source for pictures: __ **Cartoon, two men holding plug**- Ajaja, Adile. "Reinventing electric distribution." //IEEE//. (Jan/Feb 2010): 29-31. Print.
 * Map of U.S. interconnections**- Lerner, Eric. "What's wrong with the electric grid?." //The Industrial Physicist//. American Institute of Physics, n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2010. .
 * Plug in electric vehicle**- "California Department of General Services Launches Electric Vehicle Trial." //The Auto Channel//. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2010. .
 * Transmission Lines**- Dernoga, Matt. "Stopping Coal Powered Transmission Lines." //It's Getting Hot in Here//. N.p., 24 nov 2009. Web. 28 Mar 2010. .
 * Smart Meter**- Gulyas, Carol. "Chip Makers Gear Up for Widespread Smart Meter Deployment." //Clean Technica//. Business, Energy Efficiency, General Technology, 23 Jul 2008. Web. 28 Mar 2010. <http://cleantechnica.com/2008/07/23/chip-makers-gear-up-for-widespread-smart-meter-deployment/>.
 * Power Plant Emissions**- "Greening the Grid." New York Independent System Operator, n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2010. <http://www.nyiso.com/public/energy_future/issues_trends/greening_the_grid/index.jsp>.