North American stands on the precipice of determining the interest and direction it will take in modeling an attitude that says: “we want to take care of this earth and its resources.” Will North America choose to continue its abuse of resources and therefore become “energy impoverished”? Or will it choose to become more “energy rich?” If North American turns a blind eye to new, energy efficient technologies, then energy poverty, which is a detriment to labor productivity, economic growth, and social well-being, will be its end result. However, if North America wishes to be on the cutting edge of technology, it will choose to explore and buy into the smart grid.
What is a Smart Grid?
The smart grid is the reconfiguration of the transmission and distribution phases of a traditional electrical grid. Basically, it is a grid that, through two-way digital communications, carefully monitors and tracks, in detail, all electricity flowing through its system. As a result, the smart grid, unlike the traditional electrical grid, capably delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers in a way that saves energy and reduces costs. Plus, the smart grid highly benefits consumers; for consumers will be able to actively participate in and control when and how much energy they use. In other words, the smart grid does everything that the traditional electrical grid does – only it does it better: more intelligently, more quickly, more efficiently, more reliably, more securely, and more responsibly.
What Effect Will The Smart Grid Have On Your Life?
- Enables you, the consumer, to actively participate
- Allows you to be a part of preserving future generations
- Models environmental leadership to the rest of the world
- When there is a power disturbance, it has self-healing qualities (ie: hurricanes)
- Provides power quality for our ever expanding digital world
- Accommodates all generation and storage options
- Opens the doors for new services, markets, and products
- Offers more affordable energy
- Provides more efficient electric power
- Supplies more electricity, period.
Why Is It Good For The Environment?
- Will slow the advance of climate change
- Will optimize wind and solar energy
- Will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 25%
- Will better serve the individual consumer’s needs and allow the consumers to have a say in how much and when they consume energy.
- Will allow you and future generations to live a more qualitative life.
Again, it is time we, as constant and voracious consumers of this earth’s resources, focus on using its resources wisely by investing in innovative technologies that allow us to be in a cooperative relationship with earth rather than a neglectful or ignorant relationship with it. Smart grid, as shown above, is an innovative technology worth investing in – if not for its ability to cut costs and be more reliable, efficient, and consumer friendly, then definitely for its ability to help preserve this earth for future generations.
