Smart grids using energy-efficient technology has become a buzzword in the ICT industry today. The recent global smart grid conference in the US also highlighted why smart grid technology is the way forward–from power conservation through mart meters to smart grid for the telecom and IT industry that will help in load shedding and faster, higher capacity systems.
In India, smart grid technology is still new, but is definitely gaining leverage. Software giants like IBM are working with NDPL to bring these energy solutions to India, customized for the problems faced by a huge market and burgeoning population.
With the help of its Global Intelligent Utility Network Coalition, IBM works with each country in the group to customize solutions according to individual needs.
Accordingly, IBM has released its new POWER7 systems, which is set to help the electric utility industry better manage transactions and data streams created by the emerging smart grid technologies. IBM POWER7 systems is estimated to enable the handling of numerous transactions in real-time and analyze the associated volumes of data, typical of emerging applications. The new systems and management software include the IBM Power 780, Power 770, Power 755 and Power 750 Express servers, as well as the IBM Systems Director Express, Standard and Enterprise editions.
Meanwhile, Lineage Power is also working on several new smart grid solutions, especially for the telecom market. Eco Priority Source prioritizes sustainable energy sources before the utility grid or generator sources by drawing power from the solar, wind, water or fuel cell sources before drawing on the utility or generator source. Eco Priority Source also allows for alternative sources to supplement the grid like real-time traditional energy sources to provide the greenest source possible.
Lineage has also developed Smart Grid Demand Response capabilities. Accordingly, Lineage Total Efficiency architecture interacts with smart grids in three ways:
1. Automated, by listening and responding to requests from the power utility (protocol based)
2. Scheduled, whereby the service provider decides when to go off-grid (calendar based)
3. Dynamic, based on the lowest cost of power during a particular time period from a particular utility (financial based)
Thus, in the future, a telecom operator will have the opportunity to source power from different utilities at various points throughout the day based on the electrical provider with the most cost-effective rates.
Lineage Power systems are also equipped with optional load disconnects that can be used for priority selection during a power failure. In the event of a complete power failure, power systems are designed to turn their loads back on through controllable disconnects. This connection is made on voltage, time, and voltage and time parameters. A collection of power sites serving a wireless area can be configured to have different turn-on parameters for the load disconnects.
Lineage Power Corporation also recently tied up with Verizon Communications to test two new technologies that aim to significantly decrease the amount of electricity used by ICT equipment.
The technologies, part of Lineage Power's Total Efficiency Architecture, involve specially designed rectifiers and software that are estimated to increase the efficiency of the AC/DC conversion process to up to 97%, thus saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Lineage is also launching a new line of products aimed specifically at the wireless carrier industry, which will help recapture up to 90 % of the energy lost in the power conversion process.
According to a report by GTM Research, the most funded smart grid startup companies till date are those competing in the networking/communications space (solving the end-to-end communication challenge). As the ICT market matures in the next two to five years, and software giants grow their presence in the market sector, the application space is set to be the next frontier of smart grid startup capital. Thus, smart grid will soon go from being used selectively in certain industries to being used globally for all industries, and on a daily basis to act as a much-needed green solution to an increasing carbon footprint.
berylm@cybermedia.co.in
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