Innovation And Disruption At The Grids Edge

Book Description :

Innovation and Disruption at the Grid’s Edge examines the viable developments in peer-to-peer transactions enabled by open platforms on the grid’s edge. With consumers and prosumers using more electronic platforms to trade surplus electricity from rooftop solar panels, share a storage battery, or use smart gadgets that manage load and self-generation, the grid's edge is becoming crowded. The book examines the growing number of consumers engaging in self-generation and storage, and analyzes the underlying causes and drivers of change, as well as the implications of how the utility sector—particularly the distribution network—should/could be regulated. The book also explores how tariffs are set and revenues are collected to cover both fixed and variable costs in a sustainable way. This reference is useful for anyone interested in the areas of energy generation and regulation, especially stakeholders engaged in the generation, transmission, and distribution of power. Examines the new players that will disrupt the energy grid markets Offers unique coverage of an emerging and unpublished topic Helps the reader understand up-to-date energy regulations and pricing innovations

Book Description :

Consumers, Prosumers, Prosumagers: How Customer Stratification will Disrupt the Utility Business Model examines customer stratification in the electric power sector, arguing that it is poised to become one of the fundamental drivers of the 21st century power network as distributed energy generation, storage, sharing and trading options become available at scale. The book addresses the interface and the relationship between key players and their impacts on incumbent and disruptive service providers. Topics covered include innovations that lead to consumer stratification, regulatory policy, the potential of service, the speed and spread of stratification, and a review of potential business models and strategies. The work also covers the evolution and potential end-states of electricity service provision, from its basis in current pilot programs as distributed generation scales and its potential to supplant industry norms. Explores the impacts and trajectories of increasing distributed power generation and storage adoption Analyzes the growing number of electricity services and their impact on the existing power grid and service providers, including incumbent and disruptor utilities Discusses future market trends and trends in costs, pricing and business models

Book Description :

The historical ways in which electricity was generated in large central power plants and delivered to passive customers through a one-way transmission and distribution network – as everyone knows – is radically changing to one where consumers can generate, store and consume a significant portion of their energy needs energy locally. This, however, is only the first step, soon to be followed by the ability to share or trade with others using the distribution network. More exciting opportunities are possible with the increased digitalization of BTM assets, which in turn can be aggregated into large portfolios of flexible load and generation and optimized using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Examines the latest advances in digitalization of behind-the-meter assets including distributed generation, distributes storage and electric vehicles and – more important – how these assets can be aggregated and remotely monitored unleashing tremendous value and a myriad of innovative services and business models Examines what lies behind-the-meter (BTM) of typical customers and why managing these assets increasingly matter Describes how smart aggregators with intelligent software are creating value by optimizing how energy may be generated, consumed, stored o potentially shared o traded and between consumers; prosumers and prosumagers (that is, prosumers with storage) Explores new business models that are likely to disrupt the traditional interface between the incumbents and their customers

Book Description :

Innovation and Disruption at the Grid's Edge examines the viable developments in peer-to-peer transactions enabled by open platforms on the grid's edge. With consumers and prosumers using more electronic platforms to trade surplus electricity from rooftop solar panels, share a storage battery, or use smart gadgets that manage load and self-generation, the grid's edge is becoming crowded. The book examines the growing number of consumers engaging in self-generation and storage, and analyzes the underlying causes and drivers of change, as well as the implications of how the utility sector-particularly the distribution network-should/could be regulated. The book also explores how tariffs are set and revenues are collected to cover both fixed and variable costs in a sustainable way. This reference is useful for anyone interested in the areas of energy generation and regulation, especially stakeholders engaged in the generation, transmission, and distribution of power.

Book Description :

This handbook offers a comprehensive transdisciplinary examination of the research and practices that constitute the emerging research agenda in energy democracy. With protests over fossil fuels and controversies over nuclear and renewable energy technologies, democratic ideals have contributed to an emerging social movement. Energy democracy captures this movement and addresses the issues of energy access, ownership, and participation at a time when there are expanding social, political, environmental, and economic demands on energy systems. This volume defines energy democracy as both a social movement and an academic area of study and examines it through a social science and humanities lens, explaining key concepts and reflecting state-of-the-art research. The collection is comprised of six parts: 1 Scalar Dimensions of Power and Governance in Energy Democracy 2 Discourses of Energy Democracy 3 Grassroots and Critical Modes of Action 4 Democratic and Participatory Principles 5 Energy Resource Tensions 6 Energy Democracies in Practice The vision of this handbook is explicitly transdisciplinary and global, including contributions from interdisciplinary international scholars and practitioners. The Routledge Handbook of Energy Democracy will be the premier source for all students and researchers interested in the field of energy, including policy, politics, transitions, access, justice, and public participation.

Book Description :

Providing a coherent and multidisciplinary approach to digitalization, this Modern Guide aims to systematize how the digitalization process affects infrastructure-based industries, including telecommunications, transport, energy, water and postal services.

Book Description :

Variable Generation, Flexible Demand looks at a future in which power system researchers, operators and analysts need to predict variable renewable generation and schedule demand to match it. Contributors survey the significant expansion in the role of flexible demand in balancing supply and demand in conjunction with flexible generation in ‘peaking plants’ and energy storage as the proportion of variable renewable generation rises in many systems across the world. Supported with case studies, the book examines practical ways that demand flexibility can play a constructive role as more systems move towards higher levels of renewable generation in their electricity mix. Examines practical ways that demand flexibility can play a constructive role in future energy systems Reviews the vital role of market design, business models, enabling technologies, policies and regulation in implementation of flexible demand Includes detailed case studies that address the role of flexible demand across transitioning power markets

Book Description :

Presenting critical insights on how economic activity is constrained by the environment’s ability to provide material and energy resources, this timely Research Agenda explores how humanity shapes, and is shaped by, environmental change and sustainability challenges. Chapters highlight how, under these constraints, people may seek to improve their lives and standards of living without undermining the abilities of others to do so now or in the future.

Book Description :

Energy Communities explores core potential systemic benefits and costs in engaging consumers into communities, particularly relating to energy transition. The book evaluates the conditions under which energy communities might be regarded as customer-centered, market-driven and welfare-enhancing. The book also reviews the issue of prevalence and sustainability of energy communities and whether these features are likely to change as opportunities for distributed energy grow. Sections cover the identification of welfare considerations for citizens and for society on a local and national level, and from social, economic and ecological perspectives, while also considering different community designs and evolving business models. Defines and conceptualizes the energy community for the current generation of researchers and practitioners facing the energy transition Explores the main benefits and challenges in forming energy communities and to what extent they are welfare-enhancing Examines under what terms, conditions, regulations or policies energy communities can be beneficially and successfully organized and why Reviews the combination of business models and forms of organization which are conducive to economic feasibility and the commercial success of energy communities

Book Description :

This book is for anyone who wants to gain an understanding of Blockchain technology and its potential. The book is research-oriented and covers different verticals of Blockchain technology. It discusses the characteristics and features of Blockchain, includes techniques, challenges, and future trends, along with case studies for deeper understanding. Blockchain Technology: Exploring Opportunities, Challenges, and Applications covers the core concepts related to Blockchain technology starting from scratch. The algorithms, concepts, and application areas are discussed according to current market trends and industry needs. It presents different application areas of industry and academia and discusses the characteristics and features of this technology. It also explores the challenges and future trends and provides an understanding of new opportunities. This book is for anyone at the beginner to intermediate level that wants to learn about the core concepts related to Blockchain technology.

Book Description :

Pumped Hydro Energy Storage for Hybrid Systems takes a practical approach to present characteristic features, planning and implementation aspects, and techno-economic issues of PHES. It discusses the importance of pumped hydro energy storage and its role in load balancing, peak load shaving, grid stability and hybrid energy systems deployment. The book analyses the architecture and process description of different kinds of PHES, both established and upcoming. Different case studies of pumped hydro energy storage are discussed as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different applications. An essential read for students, researchers and engineers interested in renewable energy, hydropower, and hybrid energy systems. Provides a comprehensive overview of pumped-hydro storage systems and other uses of hydropower in hybrid energy systems Offers a practical approach that includes case studies to present in-depth information on project development and techno-economic challenges, including design, costs, performance and limitations of hybrid pumped hydro systems Explores pathways for hydropower energy storage systems optimization for better electricity generation

Book Description :

Placing emphasis on practical “how-to” guidance, this cutting-edge resource provides a first-hand, insider’s perspective on the advent and evolution of smart grids in the 21st century. This book presents engineers, researchers, and students with the building blocks that comprise basic smart grids, including power plant, transmission substation, distribution, and meter automation. Moreover, this forward-looking volume explores the next step of this technology’s evolution. It provides a detailed explanation of how an advanced smart grid incorporates demand response with smart appliances and management mechanisms for distributed generation, energy storage, and electric vehicles. This updated second edition focuses on the disruptive impact of DER. This new edition also includes a glossary with well over 100 acronyms and terms, acknowledging the tremendous challenge for a student of smart energy and smart grid to grasp this complex industry.

Book Description :

With the growth of renewable energy sources, microgrids have become a key component in the distribution of power to localized areas while connected to the traditional grid or operating in a disconnected island mode. Based on the extensive real-world experience of the authors, this cutting-edge resource provides a basis for the design, installation, and day-by-day management of microgrids. Professionals find coverage of the critical aspects they need to understand, from the initial planning and the selection of the most appropriate technologies and equipment, to optimal management and real-time control. Moreover, this forward-looking book places emphasis on new architectures of the energy systems of the future. Written in accessible language with practical examples, the book explains advanced topics such as optimization algorithms for energy management systems, control issues for both on-grid and island mode, and microgrid protection. Practitioners are also provided with a complete vision for the deployment of the microgrid in smart cities.

Book Description :

Get the science facts, not science fiction, on the cutting-edge developments that are already changing the course of our future. Every day, scientists conduct pioneering experiments with the potential to transform how we live. Yet it isn’t every day you hear from the scientists themselves! Now, award–winning author Jim Al–Khalili and his team of top-notch experts explain how today’s earthshaking discoveries will shape our world tomorrow—and beyond. Pull back the curtain on: genomics robotics AI the “Internet of Things” synthetic biology transhumanism interstellar travel colonization of the solar system teleportation and much more And find insight into big–picture questions such as: Will we find a cure to all diseases? The answer to climate change? And will bionics one day turn us into superheroes? The scientists in these pages are interested only in the truth—reality-based and speculation-free. The future they conjure is by turns tantalizing and sobering: There’s plenty to look forward to, but also plenty to dread. And undoubtedly the best way to for us to face tomorrow’s greatest challenges is to learn what the future looks like—today. Praise for What the Future Looks Like “A collection of mind-boggling essays that are just the thing for firing up your brain cells.” —Saga Magazine “The predictions and impacts are global . . . [and] the book contains far more fascinating information than can be covered in this review.” —Choice “This book is filled with essays from experts offering their informed opinions on what the science and technology of today will look like in the future, from smart materials to artificial intelligence to genetic editing.” —Popular Science “Fun is an understatement. This is a great collection to get the summer book season started.” —Forbes.com “The focus on sincere, factual presentation of current and future possibilities by leading experts is particularly welcome in this era of fake news and anti-science rhetoric.” —Library Journal

Book Description :

Energy Transformation towards Sustainability explores how researchers, businesses and policymakers can explore and usefully improve energy systems and energy consumption behavior, both to reflect the reality of climate change and related environmental degradation and to adapt to the expanding periphery of renewable energy technologies. It introduces the reader to a suite of potential policy pathways to the necessary transformation in societal energy consumption, usage and behavior. Solutions discussed include energy efficiency, energy security, the role of political leadership, green public policy, and the transition to renewable energy sources. International contributions address the range and depth of current research from a position of advocacy for ‘energy stewardship’ as the driver of this transformation. Case studies illustrate the range of various countries to diminish energy use. Finally, policy avenues are covered in depth. Reviews the interrelationship between economic growth, energy consumption and climate change Uses a wide variety of case studies to support practical implementation across national energy systems Highlights a wide spectrum of urgent issues, including threats related to energy use and secure and sustainable development Contains contributions that reflect a breadth and depth of scholarship from international backgrounds

Book Description :

With twenty-two chapters written by leading international experts, this volume represents the most detailed and comprehensive Handbook on electricity markets ever published.

Book Description :

This book provides an interdisciplinary lens for exploring, assessing, and coming to new understandings of smart cities and regions, focusing on the six dimensions of sensing, awareness, learning, openness, innovation, and disruption. Using a hybrid case study and correlational approach, people from diverse sectors in a variety of small to medium to large-sized cities in multiple countries (e.g., Canada, United States, Ireland, Greece, Israel, etc.) provide experience-based perspectives on smart cities together with assessments for elements pertaining to each of the six dimensions. The analysis of findings in this work surfaces a rich and interwoven tapestry of patterns from the qualitative data highlighting for example, the importance of emotion/affect, privacy, trust, and data visualizations in influencing and informing the directions of smart cities and regions going forward. Correlational analysis of quantitative data reveals the presence and strength of emerging relationships among elements assessed, shedding light on factors that may serve as starting points for understanding what is contributing to potentials for improving success in smart cities and regions.

Book Description :

The latest edition features a new chapter on implementation and operation of an integrated smart grid with updates to multiple chapters throughout the text. New sections on Internet of things, and how they relate to smart grids and smart cities, have also been added to the book. It describes the impetus for change in the electric utility industry and discusses the business drivers, benefits, and market outlook of the smart grid initiative. The book identifies the technical framework of enabling technologies and smart solutions and describes the role of technology developments and coordinated standards in smart grid, including various initiatives and organizations helping to drive the smart grid effort. With chapters written by leading experts in the field, the text explains how to plan, integrate, implement, and operate a smart grid.

Book Description :

Energy Democracies for Sustainable Futures explores how our dominant carbon and nuclear energy assemblages shape conceptions of participation, risk, and in/securities, and how they might be reengineered to deliver justice and democratic participation in transitioning energy systems. Chapters assess the economies, geographies and politics of current and future energy landscapes, exposing how dominant assemblages (composed of technologies, strategies, knowledge and authorities) change our understanding of security and risk, and how they these shared understandings are often enacted uncritically in policy. Contributors address integral relationships across the production and government of material and human energies and the opportunities for sustainable and democratic governance. In addition, the book explores how interest groups advance idealized energy futures and energy imaginaries. The work delves into the role that states, market organizations and civil society play in envisioned energy change. It assesses how risks and security are formulated in relation to economics, politics, ecology, and human health. It concludes by integrating the relationships between alternative energies and governance strategies, including issues of centralization and decentralization, suggesting approaches to engineer democracy into decision-making about energy assemblages. Explores descriptive and normative relationships between energy and democracy Reviews how changing energy demand and governance threaten democracies and democratic institutions Identifies what participative energy transformations look like when paired with energy security Reviews what happens to social, economic and political infrastructures in the process of achieving sustainable and democratic transitions

Book Description :

This open access book uses smart grids to explore and better understand energy innovation, from a social science perspective. Understanding Energy Innovation has four core themes—networks, nodes, narratives and nostalgia—and each chapter tackles a theme, using case studies from Australia and Europe. Energy innovation is currently occurring at a rapid pace, in response to a host of problems including climate change, high energy prices, and unreliable supply. Understanding Energy Innovation provides ways to think about and plan for energy sector reform and innovation, drawing on core ideas from social and innovation theory, and centred on smart grids as a case study. These academic ideas are written about in an accessible way, recognising that a diversity of people have an interest in energy innovation generally, and smart grids more specifically, and would like to find out more about ways of understanding energy innovation that integrate the social and the political.