Dive Summary:
- Due to the need for an intelligent reduction of energy consumption and standby power in case of an emergency, technology is being developed to track and self-adjust use to times when demand is low, thereby saving energy, preventing grid overload and cutting costs for utilities.
- Stefan Hild at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, states that an energy grid's nominal operating frequency is 50 Hz and the frequency decreases when demand is high and increases when it is low, with high-demand conditions potentially leaving grids unstable and in need of costly power storage facilities.
- Hild has produced a smart circuit for a laptop battery that keeps it at least 40% charged at all times, using energy only at times when demand is low while Sainsbury's, the British supermarket chain, has installed similar technology on its refrigerators in an effort to save 100,000 tons of emissions in the next 10 years.
From the article:
"When it comes to electricity grids, matching supply and demand is a tricky business. Utilities need to have spare capacity on standby to provide additional power whenever it is needed and that's expensive.
What's more, the problem is set to get worse given the growing reliance in many parts of the world on wind and solar energy, which is often unpredictable and cannot be switched on to match demand.
There are essentially two ways to tackle this. The first is to invest in more infrastructure, such as additional conventional power stations or energy storage devices such as batteries, and to switch these on when they are needed. ..."