The smart grid - utilizing demand response technologies - San Francisco Green Careers

Smart grids create an opportunity to engage directly with customers (residential and commercial) in a two-way communication. Smart grids don’t just mean the replacement of old meter readers and an automated data collection system that the utility companies utilize for billing purposes.

‘Intelligent’ power grids present us with several possibilities: to provide customers with tools and real-time information to reduce consumption and increase levels of energy and water efficiency; to create and streamline demand response programs; and smart capacity planning, which will, hopefully, reduce blackouts.

Along with the Department Of Energy (DOE) stimulus funds that have been allocated to renewable energy generation and smart-grid technologies, there has been a rapid growth in the generation of electric power from renewable sources in the past decade. Furthermore, in the next 10-20 years, the increase in renewable energy generation will affect the U.S. smart grid reliability, where the challenge of dealing with power failures will continue.

An expanded smart grid needs to take into consideration that renewable energy generation is intermittent and doesn’t produce stable and consistent power. This fact influences grid capacity, grid integration, intermittency issues, and the need to balance demand response.

There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network. Failures may include faults at power stations, damage to power lines, faults at substations, malfunctions at parts of the transmission and distribution system, or overloading.

How to utilize demand response technologies to help keep smart grids operational? How to balance capacity? How to choose a reliable and scalable smart grid system that will provide customers with accurate real-time information on their energy?

The following up-coming events will focus on these questions and more, discuss the integration of large scale and residential technology, innovative business models, and investments and returns.

The challenges that smart grid enterprise faces will drive innovation and move us forward.

Smart grid events in Palo Alto, CA – September 2010

1. Demand Response in the residential market – Presented by the Wireless Communications Alliance (WCA) Smart Grid SIG (Special Interest Group)

Demand Response is one of the biggest payoffs in residential Smart Grid infrastructure, and companies are lining up to offer sensors, control systems, and services to help consumers take full advantage of intelligent energy systems. Yet, while the load-leveling model has been proven in the industrial and commercial markets, the model for residential consumers has yet to be proven. Can residential low-cost energy capacity through large-scale peak shaving and load smoothing become a reality or are we simply chasing a dream?

A panel of experts from Cisco, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, EnerNOC, TURN, and Ecofactor will discuss the value proposition and engagement models for demand response in the residential market, business models that benefits the consumer, the lessons learned from the industrial/commercial markets, security and privacy issues, as well as the most promising business and career opportunities.

When: September 21, 2010 3:30 PM - 7 PM
Where: Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), 3333 Coyote Hill Rd, Pake Auditorium, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Registration: click here.
More information: WCA was founded in 1994 and is a non-profit business league dedicated to providing education, connection, and community for companies, organizations, and individuals involved with wireless technologies. The organization promotes education, networking, and exchange of non-proprietary information, works to increase awareness of wireless capabilities in Silicon Valley, and draws a broad spectrum of companies, from multinational corporations to start-ups.
Other WCA SIGs: www.wca.org/sig
Contact: Wireless Communications Alliance – email: newsletter@wca.org - Tel.: (888) 351-6701

2. Revamping the Smart Grid – Presented by SDForum – the Clean Tech Breakfast Series

The current metering devices for generating, transmitting and distributing electrical information are vulnerable to failure. The need to revamp this outdated technology is apparent, especially in an age of renewable energy.

A panel of experts, which include key players as well as investors in this massive enterprise, discuss the integration of both large scale and micro-scale technology, innovative business models, and giant investments and returns.

Speakers include:
Lee Burrows, VantagePoint Venture Partners
Drew Clark, IBM Venture Capital Group
Andy Colman, GRIDiant Corporation
Jon Previtali, AltaTerra Research
Moderated by: Kris Brown, PricewaterhouseCoopers

When: September 21, 2010 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Where: SAP Executive Briefing Center, Building 1, 3410 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Registration: click here.
More information: visit SDForum’s website for additional information and for other events.

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Tags: smart grid technologies, demand response DR, challenges in smart grid, energy balancing, smart grid events, smart grid investment