Smart Consumers, Smart Controls, Smart Grid

The grid has three components: demand, transmission/distribution and generation, with the latter being mainly dispatchable, conventional power generation. A future grid based on renewable energy sources will impose serious challenges due to the variable nature of resources (wind, solar). In the transition from the current grid based on fossil and nuclear energy to a more sustainable one, based on renewable energy sources and components such as storage and with possible active participation by consumers, controls will play an important role, providing essential infrastructure for end users and system managers to monitor and control their energy usage. The uncertainty in the supply due to the integration of wind and solar energy will require intelligent control and with possible ways for shifting demand. The paper will discuss challenges, issues and advantages of demand reduction and demand shifting within a future smart grid with some illustrative examples.