The Smart Grid Technology - Essay Sample for You

The smart grid technology is the next great discovery, after internet, that citizens of the United States, and generally the whole world will reap benefits. Gellings (2009) postulates that in less than two decades, U.S. citizens will save up to $2 trillion in consumer benefits. The smart grid is a two-way communication and electricity network system, with the consumer at one end and the energy providers at the other. This energy modernization has been created to surpass the failures of the recent analog electrical grids. The new electric digital system relays data to both the supplier and the consumers. The smart grid technology has brought about several benefits over some few disadvantages.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The new type of electrical grid is branded as "smart" as it responds to the different energy levels and notifies both the utilities and the consumers about any changes in the transmission. One of the benefits of this new technological advancement in the energy industry is that the system has backup. Once electricity is down, the system responds quickly to restore power to the consumers. The smart grid notifies the consumer on the power usage of either household items or in the case of an industry, the mechanical equipment. Consumers can view the consumption levels on their digital meters and can be advised on when to take advantage of the system when the rates are low (Gungor, et al., 2011). The smart grid monitors the current and alerts the consumers on minimizing energy consumption when the power load is inconsistent. This new system will also help consumers regulate their energy consumption as the smart grid meters as they can monitor the installed smart grid meters. Environmentally, the new technology will reduce the emissions of toxic gas from greenhouses, posing a safer surrounding for the consumers.

Every great discovery is followed by several condemnations that hinder the development of that particular advancement. Consumers have raised concerns about the privacy of their meters and how it can expose them to external agencies. Customers are doubting this technology in various ways; the question of how robbers can access the data from the meters, how insurance companies can monitor the house alarms, and how hackers can infect their home of industry systems with malware. Privacy is the main concern that is bothering consumers (Metke & Ekl, 2010). Additionally, the installation of the smart grid is estimated to cost a fortune thus disturbing the consumer's financial plans on electrical advancement. A myriad of consumers seem to be opposing the adaptation of this energy system.

The current electrical system has failed the United States in a number of ways. From 2000 to 2004, over 149 cases of powers shortages were recorded. The number significantly shot higher to around 349 power outages from 2005-2009. The smart grid will bring about a self-recuperation process that often sustains energy levels (Gellings, 2009). The new system will help the country avoid the emergency of 2004 that was a disaster. The smart grid involves modern voltage capacitors, digital meters, voltage sensors, and voltage regulators that will sustain the efficiency of the technology.

In summary, the grid system is a great deal that should be implemented globally to efficiently minimize energy costs and reduce the risks of high voltages in homes and industries. The few drawbacks of smart grid, privacy and cost, can find a solution once the people decide to embrace the new system. Eventually, the world will enjoy the safe, economic friendly smart grid system.

References

Gellings, C. W. (2009). The smart grid: enabling energy efficiency and demand response. The Fairmont Press, Inc.

Gungor, V. C., Sahin, D., Kocak, T., Ergut, S., Buccella, C., Cecati, C., & & Hancke, G. P. (2011). Smart grid technologies: Communication technologies and standards. IEEE transactions on Industrial informatics, 7(4), 529-539.

Metke, A. R., & Ekl, R. L. (2010). Security technology for smart grid networks. IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 1(1), 99-107.