.gif)
.gif)
PowerViews
Distributed Generation Drives Industry Transformation
Rick Geiger, Executive Director for Utilities and Smart Gr, Cisco
Page 2
go to page: 1 2
New Use Cases for the Industry
The industry is just at the beginning of a transformation that will take decades, but extrapolating current trends and mandates, until economical, safe, and practical grid-scale storage becomes available the prospect is that sales of electric power may no longer supply revenues necessary to sustain the industry. As the industry transforms, what may be the evolving role of an electric utility?
- Continuing role as primary supplier of electric power during the decades required for distributed energy resources to become "generation everywhere."
- Supplier of last resort with the ability to source power for peak usage, during extended severe weather, and during other times when local generation is not sufficient.
- Real-time matching of supply and demand, integrating many sources of distributed generation over a wide area, smoothing local variations, and moving excess power to areas of need, along with the market systems to manage the economics as well as the power flows.
- Integrated management and control of distributed energy resources inclusive not only of generation, but also of storage and demand, especially as the usage of electric vehicles increases.
- Replacing the forecasting, dispatch and balancing model of today’s grid operation with a new model that implements a modern distributed architecture and control model.
- Services to install, secure, maintain and upgrade a communications infrastructure for telemetry and control -- to link distributed energy resources into a network of energy generation, storage and consumption.
The industry’s primary mission of safe and reliable power still remains, but utility companies will need to evolve their business models to adapt to the shift in revenues as the growth of distributed energy resources and consumer-generated power increases. The roles above highlight opportunities to provide new and additional value that can form the basis for evolving business models. These are opportunities for utilities, industry vendors and the new class of power generating consumers to partner as they address the challenges arising from "generation everywhere."
go to page: 1 2
About the Author
Rick Geiger has been with Cisco for 5 years, formerly as Director of Engineering in Cisco’s Physical Security Business Unit. Prior to joining Cisco, Mr. Geiger was VP Engineering for GE Security in Physical Security, video surveillance and access control. Rick has in depth experience in the global utility market with more than 10 years as VP Engineering and Chief Technical Officer for Itron. Presently Executive Director for Utilities and Smart Grid, on Cisco’s Business Transformation Team, Rick and the Smart Grid Vertical Team serve the Americas Utility markets with Secure, Resilient and Scalable network solutions for smart grid, advanced metering, distribution automation, utility telemetry and energy management. Rick is an IEEE Senior Member and Member of the Power and Energy Society.
We welcome the opportunity to publish your opinions. Please email us at editorial@darnell.com.
White Papers
March 11, 2013
Power Modules for Charger Applications
Sponsored by Vincotech
February 27, 2013
The Adaptive Cell Converter Topology Enables Constant Efficiency Over Universal Input AC Line in Front-End, High-Density Power Factor Correction Applications
Sponsored by Vicor Corp.
February 27, 2013
From 48 V direct to Intel VR12.0: Saving "Big Data" $500,000 per datacenter, per year
Sponsored by Vicor Corp.
More White Papers
- Ericsson Delivers 750W Quarter-Brick using Proprietary HRR Topology
- IXYS Introduces an Anode-Gated Thyristor Technology Platform
- Dreamliner Nightmares a Factor in New UL Standards Activities for Li-ion Batteries
- Ideal Diode Bridge Controller Minimizes Rectifier Heat and Voltage Loss
- Siemens Installing Regenerative Energy Storage Unit on Light Rail Line
- Silicon Labs acquires Energy Micro for IoT, Smart Energy and Portable Electronics
- NXP Brings High Efficiency to 12V MR16 Lamps with Dimmable LED Controller
- Ultra-Compact High-Efficiency Power Supplies for Automotive Applications
- Curtis Industries Acquires California-based Tri-Mag
- Convection-Cooling Eliminates Fan Maintenance and Audible Noise in 250W Power Supplies
- Siemens Installing Regenerative Energy Storage Unit on Light Rail Line
- Ericsson Delivers 750W Quarter-Brick using Proprietary HRR Topology
- Convection-Cooling Eliminates Fan Maintenance and Audible Noise in 250W Power Supplies
- Single-Stage LED Drivers Deliver Dimming and Thermal Protection with Lower BOM Cost
- GE Intros Megawatt UPS Global Platform with Industry-Leading Efficiency
- Dow Corning adds Thermal Management Options Optimized for Electronics Applications
- Dreamliner Nightmares a Factor in New UL Standards Activities for Li-ion Batteries
- ABB Demonstrates Technology to Power Flash Charging Electric Bus in 15 Seconds
- Delta Acquires Neo Solar Power, Forms Taiwan's Largest Maker of PV Cells and Modules
- Eltek Showcases New Solar Energy Storage System at Intersolar Munich 2013
- Green Building Power Forum 2010: Fujitsu Components America
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: CUI Incorporated
- Green Building Power Forum 2010: EMerge Alliance
- Green Building Power Forum 2010: Anderson Power Products
- Green Building Power Forum 2009: Independence Station
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: Coilcraft
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: Champs Technologies
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: EXAR Corporation
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: PMBus
- Darnell's Digital Power Forum 2009: Power Plaza
Design Features
October 22, 2012
Energy Efficiency with Class D Amplifier Modules
Class-D switching amplifiers are helping audio designers create personal multimedia devices and home audio/visual systems that demonstrate how compact and stylish equipment can also deliver high sound quality and high audio output power. The key to this breakthrough, providing freedom from the large and bulky boxes housing traditional audio products, lies in the class-D amplifier’s high energy efficiency, which is typically around 90%. This allows designers to reduce or eliminate heatsinks as well as using smaller-sized PCBs and smaller components such as transformers, connectors and power supplies.
Design Features
October 8, 2012
The Role of Hall Effect Sensors in Power Distribution Infrastructure
Power distribution units (PDUs) form an essential part of modern computing and data communications hardware. They provide multiple outputs for transferring electrical power with maximum efficiency, controlling the power capacity and safeguarding against the possible causes of supply interruption. With an ever increasing need from tech savvy consumers for higher data throughput and greater quantities of data storage capacity, as well as tough international legislation now governing CO&sub2; emissions, the demands being placed on these units are proving challenging for engineering teams to satisfy.
Product Focus
August 13, 2012
The Year in AC-DC Power Supply Technology
The past year witnessed significant new product releases, technological developments, and industry news related to the field of AC-DC Power Supply technology.