/> The energy sector is working hard to balance supply against the challenges of growing demand, decarbonisation and increasing reliability. Creating a smarter electricity grid is an important step towards this goal. This impending shift in the energy sector has stimulated the development of consumer appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines that can link directly to the smart grid to support functions including demand response balancing, and load distribution time delay. Sentec CTO, Dr Edward Colby, will be speaking at ICCE to explain how the smart grid is developing, how it can be employed to manage consumer appliances effectively, and the consumer electronics technologies necessary to enable a smarter grid.

“Consumers are more aware of their energy usage than ever before, whilst the emergence of new micro-generation options means that the lines between energy consumer and energy supplier are becoming blurred,” says Dr. Colby. “Consumers are bombarded with advice on how to reduce consumption. They are also being offered appliances that can adjust usage patterns intelligently, or generate and store power at home, for the greater good of balancing the grid.” In his presentation, Dr Colby will explain how intelligent appliances may interface to the smart grid and contribute to its objectives, and explore the features and benefits for utilities and consumers alike.

As well as improving the management of grid networks, Sentec will discuss grid architectures needed to allow smart consumer appliances to address localised issues with power supply. “What is required is a ‘nervous system’ for the distribution grid capable of operating at the level of the local network, providing detailed power measurement and rapid sharing of relevant information to consumer appliances,” Dr Colby continues. “This nervous system would enable the grid to sense fluctuations in supply and demand, and to respond quickly and effectively at a very granular level. This then helps utility companies to avoid widespread and costly upgrades of grid capacity, by addressing imbalances in demand and supply at a local level. Smart appliances have an important role to play in this process.”

Dr Mark England, Sentec CEO and co-author of the white paper on which the presentation is based, adds that although intelligent devices integrated within the smart grid could reduce the growing gap in generation capacity and peak demand, this relies upon more monitoring in the local network. “Only by closely monitoring the performance of the local network can the information needed to improve its performance and reliability be obtained,” he states. “Once smart appliances are widely available and integrated with such monitoring, we will then be able to create a thriving, well-managed, and carbon-reducing smart grid.”