Smart Grid - Trying to learn what it is and what it isn't

In an effort to learn about the Smart Grid, I went to the Department of Energy (DOE) website and came upon this: http://www.oe.energy.gov/1165.htm.

The Smart Grid: An Introduction
Put it to Work

“The Smart Grid: An Introduction” (PDF 4 MB) is a publication sponsored by DOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. It is the first book of its kind to explore – in layman’s terms – the nature, challenges, opportunities and necessity of Smart Grid implementation. Give one to key staff, your colleague, your lawyer, your accountant or your spouse…and watch the lights go on.

For additional information on the Smart Grid Book please contact DOE’s Director of the Federal Smart Grid Task Force, Eric Lightner at Eric.Lightner@hq.doe.gov. For hard copies of “The Smart Grid: An Introduction,” contact Kim Richardson at krichardson@energetics.com. Download a copy here: The Smart Grid: An Introduction (PDF 4 MB)

My "book" review:

I ordered a hard copy and have now attempted to read it twice. I shudder to think what the taxpayer spent on this glossy piece. First, it was rushed to me via Fed Ex - $$. It is a spiral bound book of 43 pages on very thick paper, full of color and pictures and buzz words ( "killer ap" is my favorite), full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The simplest questions are not answered, barely answered, or have answers that make no sense. Please DO NOT order this booklet or recommend it to anyone else. One of the main points of the clean/green/sustainability movement is to reduce and eliminate waste. I shudder a second time to think how many trees died to make this booklet.

I won't waste my time or anyone else's going into detail of the problems with this document. So I will give just one of the more egregious examples and then move on to what what was good about it.

I'm having a hard time finding the basic definition of what is the smart grid. Page 2 tells me that before we get a Smart Grid we need a Smarter grid. That the Smart Grid is a decade or more in coming. Yet, what is the Smart Grid?

There is a lot of info about what the Smart Grid will do for me. Yet, what is the Smart Grid. Is there a 30 second elevator speech that just spits it out to the uninformed?

I think I found it on Page 10.... "The Smart Grid: What it is. What it isn't" is the title of the chapter. "The electric industry is poised to make the transformation from a centralized, producer-controller network to one that is less centralized and more consumer-interactive." Pages 11 and 12 go on to say "...two-way digital communication and plug-and-play capabilities that exemplify a smarter grid ...". Advanced Metering Infrastructure, visualization technology and phasor measurement units are then discussed. Are these the Smart Grid? or enablers?

Ah ha! Page 14 tells me the Smart Grid is NOT a smart meter. Energy sources such as wind, solar, and plug in hybrids are NOT the Smart Grid.

I give up.

What appears to be useful in this document? The last 4 pages.

Page 40 is a list of resources. I have not read them yet but they look as if solid info could be found on them.

Pages 41-43 are a Glossary of terms. Next to none of these terms were in the previous 40 pages, but it looks to be extremely useful to learn the lingo. Unfortunately, Grid, Smarter Grid, and Smart Grid are not defined.

Zeta Communities- Green modular townhouses

Zeta Communities had a write up in the Chronicle this week. I researched the company and some work on modular green building. Here are my thoughts:

1. The Zeta website and some of the interviews with the owner state that they use Just In Time manufacturing to bring down their costs. I don't understand this since they are in the process of finishing their first building and in discussion about further developments. Without having a flow of materials to receive and process Just In Time, this makes no sense to me. I am pleased that they are thinking about this approach as it does save a lot of waste.

2. The pricing of the units are very high. These could only be used in areas with very high costs of building. I did not see anywhere how much of the cost would be offset by having a net zero energy home. But if you save $2000/year on a house that costs $400,000 and a piece of land to put it on that costs $200,000.... it doesn't seem like much of a savings.

3. Of course the $2000 is straight cost on your energy bills - it's not the true cost to the environment. Until that gets quantified and the government somehow forces that into the equation, there is no practical way for individuals to justify their current cash expenditure.

3. I've heard the term eco-chic. I think if this gets going, it is going to be zero energy housing for the rich.

Venture Capital and Clean/Green Tech

Yesterday I had lunch with Dr. Lee Ng from Siemens Technology to Business Group which provides VC funding. I also attended the eBIG kickoff Clean Tech SIG and spoke to a VC at that event. The consensus is that companies are getting first round funding and angel investing but not getting second round and will fold. The companies that were providing VC funds have asset allocation models. Since their less risky investments have lost value, their VC allocations are now more of their portfolio and too high a percentage.

More tomorrow on what I learned.....

Learning about cleantech, green tech,and sustainable supply chain.

In my efforts to return to the work force after being a stay at home Mom, I am researching cleantech, greentech, and sustainable supply chain. At every event I attend, at every informational interview I do, I learn something new or get a new idea or insight. In this blog I plan to capture what I've learned during my search. Also, I plan to comment on various initiatives as to my assessment if they are real or it they are hype or greenwashing or pr.

I also plan to write my assessment if various initiatives actually are better for the environment or the world in a holistic sense - not just trying to solve one problem while creating another. I hope this blog will generate some discussion as I am eager to learn as much as I can on these topics.