Smart Grid Influence Extends Well Beyond Energy

On the face of it, the high-level draft of a standard for a new Smart Grid power distribution system is a noble effort to make the entire country more energy-efficient.

Its key goals include cutting oil imports in half, reducing carbon dioxide emission by 25 percent and cutting urban pollutants by 40 to 90 percent. To accomplish this, the Department of Energy has empowered the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a set of technology standards and specifications of unprecedented scope.

An initial cursory scan of the draft standard presented today by U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke finds comforting phrases such as the Smart Grid network as much as possible should be based on IP networks that work in a way where an event on one part of the network does not affect performance elsewhere.

But then the document goes on to describe 77 existing or new standards that to one degree or another will need to be enhanced or developed to create the Smart Grid.

Even Buildings Have Twitter Accounts

umissgym: Is it just me, or is it hot in here?

The social media craze has hit building automation, as the campus at the University of Mississippi will soon be broadcasting its energy consumption via Twitter and Facebook updates.

In partnership with smart grid company SmartSynch, Ole Miss has created online feeds (also via RSS) detailing several of its main buildings' energy use, ostensibly to "alter behavior to reduce electricity consumption and carbon emissions." The UMiss project will study consumption from lighting, temperature controls, and appliances. The organizations have created an online application to monitor and report the energy draw so that building operators can learn where energy is being wasted and implement new conservation strategies.

Building Automation Systems don’t save energy

Building Automation Systems (BAS), otherwise known as Building Management Systems (BMS) or Direct Digital Control (DDC) systems don’t save energy. But their operators can.

A BAS system will often cost the equivalent of around one year’s worth of energy bills. But unless its well operated it may never pay itself off.

BAS systems are complicated. In this respect they are similar to a jet airplane. But unlike airline pilots, in far too many cases the operators of the BAS systems have little or no experience, minimal training, and often very little time to operate it.
You wouldn’t buy a jet airplane without having appropriately trained and experienced pilots to fly it. But far too often organisations buy BAS systems without making the necessary investment in the people who operate it.

OPC Technology finds its’ place on the map

There has been a lot of talk over the past year regarding the economic situation, layoffs, project delays etc. The past year has been complicated, and there is no one who can debate that. There have also been areas of opportunity. For an open standard like OPC, the opportunity has come in reaffirming its value proposition.

As projects begin to come back online, the value of using open standards cannot be underestimated. System architects need to be as cost conscious as possible to ensure that the systems they are building are scalable for the future. Open standards are proving time and time again that their ability to redefine the method with which data is turned into information, in a cost effective manner, is the true value of open standards over proprietary protocols. After all, information is power, and those who have the best information have a true advantage over their competition.