70
ALTERNATIVES >> RENEWABLE ENERGY
“If you have a device that will tell you exactly how much you’re consuming at that time and instant, you can behave differently.”
Smart Grids One of the emerging technologies in the field of renewable energy, specifically solar, is the smart grid. A power distribution grid is a system of transmission mediums that allows electricity to be transferred at different voltages from the point of generation to homes. This has been the standard method of electricity distribution, according to the Smart Grid Technology website. However, Dr. Arturo Bretas, a professor in UF’s department of electrical and computer engineering, said current technological improvements and devices are being added to these systems in order to make them more adaptable and reliable — “smarter.” “A smart grid is one that would be able to adapt itself to the current operating condition and [be] more resilient to failures. And it’s not that the system that we have now isn’t smart,” Bretas said — but the new systems will make them smarter. These enhanced systems include automatic reclosers, or 70 |
OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
MAY/JUNE 2016
devices that provide the maximum flow of electricity and remain uninterrupted even after momentary outages. Another enhancement Bretas mentioned are smart meters that can be installed in a home to measure how much energy is being consumed. This is comparable to the way smartphones inform users of how much battery is left, he said. “If you have a device that will tell you exactly how much you’re consuming at that time and instant, you can behave differently — you can have prepaid energy, just like you have on your cell phone account,” he said.
Marine Hydrokinetic Energy An up-and-coming area of renewable energy research is marine hydrokinetic energy, which is energy obtained from moving bodies of water such as tides, waves and ocean currents. There’s enough energy in waves and tides to meet a significant portion of America’s power needs, according to an educational video on Energy.gov.