Grid modernization is one of the essential conversations in the environmentalist agenda worldwide. Renewable energy investments ramp up, and regulatory bodies have goals to meet, but there’s little publicly known explanation of the technologies required to make this dream practical.
Power outages and extreme weather are becoming the norm, and the urgency to adapt the grid is higher than ever. Is the equipment needed to make a renewable energy grid here, or are more products needed to make everything compatible?
Transitioning Transformers
Renewable energy generators, whether from solar or geothermal sources, produce and distribute varying amounts of power. Some days are more fruitful than others, so transformers are the key to increasing or decreasing the voltages for balanced transmission.
Older transformers can delegate resources for energy generation. However, modern versions must adapt to new technologies and have increased durability to handle potentially wider fluctuations and adjustments. Solid-state transformers are one of the ways these two goals can meet with their improved voltage control abilities.
These new transformers must keep hold of as much power as possible. Renewable energy has a stable public image because of clean energy creation, but it can waste residual resources.
Inefficient technology causes solar energy to lose a lot of heat that could power homes. Though this could be the panel’s fault, transformers are responsible for keeping tabs on energy storage since net metering incentives exist for renewable households.
Forging Fuel Cell Backups
The grid won’t work without batteries. The renewable grid promises natural disaster resilience and constant access to power. Making this a reality requires harvesting, storing and reallocating energy smartly, regardless of the grid size. Batteries and fuel cells could keep neighborhoods’ lights on for hours after an outage or reduce city prices by adjusting use during low power points.
It can also bring telecommunications into a new age, leveraging fuel cells to empower emergency responders during crises and keep the world more connected when jobs become increasingly remote. Companies can easily install these small-footprint hubs to show a small yet mighty application for fuel cell batteries.
Incorporating batteries makes the renewable energy grid more agile and sturdy. It will be easier to scale its technological capabilities if it’s as easy as combining tech with batteries. Despite the chance for design versatility, the maintenance stress goes away because everything from a cryptocurrency farm to an industrial energy company can connect to sustainably made, upgradable energy resources.
Implementing IoT
Internet of Things (IoT) tech isn’t specialized in the renewable energy industry. However, without it, communities cannot hope to optimize. The grid can be renewable without being smart, but its longevity, durability and utility rely on specialized intelligent technologies. The smart grid sector will reach $156.21 billion by 2028, in notable credit to green power installations.
Smart meters are one technology renewable energy grids need from IoT. They can capture more relevant data than traditional meters, empowering operators with specialized controls and remote troubleshooting. How much of the town’s power charges electric vehicles? How much are the citizens participating in energy output?
Everything from transformers to outlets could gather information to automate process development and empower workforces. IoT would make infrastructure safer as it uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to continually adapt to incoming cybersecurity threats and find more efficient ways to transfer energy.
It can report issues to remote technicians, notify households of peak times and emergency stores, and provide city hubs with a comprehensive analysis of renewable energy performance from every block and building.
What Else Should Be Used?
These are just some specialized technologies humans need to deck out renewable smart grids. Distributed energy resources, like data centers, and uninterruptible power solutions that act as backups in emergencies will make the green energy grid more powerful.
New technologies will arise in the coming years, and venture capitalists and visionary leaders will find promising avenues for more rapid renewable energy adoption. Eventually, this specialized equipment will weave together to form the most resilient and Earth-friendly grid in history.
About the author: Jane works as an environmental and energy writer. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 