PrintSmart Grid
We have discussed distributed energy that relates to the physical nature of the grid- its geographic expanse and where power is generated relative to the user. But these grids, be they the large national scale or microgrids and distributed energy, need to be able to “think and make decisions” in order to optimize power generation and distribution. We refer to this as a “smart grid.”
Earth at Night
Credit: Earth at Night. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS) C. Mayhew & R. Simmon(link sends e-mail) (NASA(link is external)/GSFC(link is external)), NOAA(link is external)/ NGDC(link is external), DMSP(link is external) Digital Archive (Public Domain)
Required Reading
Review the Department of Energy's website on Grid Modernization and the Smart Grid(link is external) and explore the links at the bottom. This website has a good overview of what we mean by smart grid and why modernization of the grid is a critical enabling factor.