Page 146 - Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook

Renewable Energies Technology and Smart Grid in China Chapter j 6 123

be some solar electricity generation, a major charger for an electric car battery,
etc. The real-time data are useful for utilities to predict and to hedge power
usage.
The smart grid is ideally suited to meet the challenging demands in the
production, distribution, and utilization of electricity. The innovation here is to
take a century-old power grid infrastructure, turn it upside down and mange it
as mentioned at earlier, and connect it to numerous renewable energy sources.
The customers are interested in going green today. The cost of fossil-fuel-
based energy is rising due to both depleting resources and the cap-and-trade
rules on greenhouse gas fuels.
Although solar PV and wind powers may have significant power output,
they must be managed with load leveling suited to their output demand pro-
files. Moreover, much power may be wasted since the power plants such as
nuclear power or coal-fired power plants do not shut down when the consumer
is asleep. Electricity analysis and management has to be directed toward en-
ergy management of existing infrastructure.
As a result, energy efficiency, modeling, and data analysis are needed and
can then be fed into the smart grid. The data are for private use, and a
computerized electricity management has robust integrity with regard to
network security, reliability, and consumer participation. A smart grid may
respond to diverse conditions that are indiscriminate to storage, resources, and
electricity reliability.
Since over a decade ago, there has been intense interest and investment
from both public and private sectors in the field of energy efficiency and
carbon-free clean energy production. The smart grid is a bright and fast
growing technology sector in recent years. Sustained and deep commitment by
regulators, state lawmakers, utilities, and other stakeholders is needed to
achieve the cost-effective energy efficiency targets. For example, California
utilities are recognized by customers as energy efficiency and demand
response experts.
Transformation of the mainstream energy market requires an advanced grid
infrastructure with superior energy efficiency and green technology. A smart
grid is becoming increasingly important for the wide use of solar, wind, and
other renewable energy. This grid reflects excellent criteria for market growth.
A smart grid is an investment field in a large market sector and many recognize
the opportunity to make a substantial social contribution while providing a
good return on the investment. Carefully upgrading the century-old power
grids should lead to rebuilding the backbone with a smart grid system.

CHINA REBUILDS A POWER SYSTEM AND SMART GRID
China has sustained over three decades of an “economic boom.” The Chinese
12th Five-Year Energy Plan enacted in March 2011 to develop the national
renewable energy systems, smart grid, to build its power system has support