business case for Smart Grid
business case for Smart Grid
(OP)
Smart Grid has all the good touchy feely stuff that seems to be an emotional appeal with companies like IBM esposing their smarter planet visions. Maybe I'm alone on this, but I'd like to see where there is a good business case for justifying the huge expenditures in smart metere, advanced distribution automation, etc.
Are smart meters cost effective? And are there any objective studies that arrive at values for their alleged benefits?
Are smart meters cost effective? And are there any objective studies that arrive at values for their alleged benefits?






RE: business case for Smart Grid
As an aside, it appears that the power companies are salivating over peak shaving using electric vehicle batteries that they don't have to pay for, a possiblity enabled by smart meters that 'work both ways', so to speak.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: business case for Smart Grid
RE: business case for Smart Grid
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: business case for Smart Grid
"In order to serve you better, we..." However that sentence is finished, no matter who says it, it's money out of my pocket.
Best to you,
Goober Dave
Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies
RE: business case for Smart Grid
Sort of like army intelligence.
Ausphil
RE: business case for Smart Grid
My 2 cents
Andy
RE: business case for Smart Grid
I agree with some of your benefits, but
- what is the decrease in meter-reading effort worth in $
- many utilities already have AMR where they drive through neighborhoods to read meters remotely. The decrease in meter-reading effort is a lot less for them compared to companies that still use meter readers.
- better outage assessment. Agree, but what's it worth?
- transformer loading. Ditto.
A smart meter will cost between $300 and $500 each. I don't believe these benefits add up to more than a fraction of the meter cost. I believe no one really wants to talk about the overall economics because it isn't favorable. IMPO, there is no good buisiness case for Smart Grid and there is no business case for smart meters.
RE: business case for Smart Grid
I do not have any cost data for a smart meter installation. I think that with a lot of new technology installs $ is not the only driving reason. I would consider SCADA systems and digital relaying as similar projects. If you can perfectly operate & protect your system today why would you put SCADA or digital relays in? I think 1 reason is to get added features, time/work savings; need to upgrade/update at some point anyways.
Also, on the smart grid topic, I think that a better case is made for going from no 'smart meter (no AMI) to an AMR soluton than from AMI to AMR. I do know of 1 municipal having the debate now. Replacing all the AMI meters with two way AMR units & the extra back-end comms is very hard to justify. I also know that some people push back on AMR from a potential loss of privacy concern.
On the transformer loading case I have seen some cost analysis or this. It seemed to work at to be about twice as expensive to replace a failed transformer (on over-time) then to up-size an overloaded during normal business hours. Again this would not cover the cost of the AMR system but the savings, less outages and improved/updated system is the cases I have heard for AMR system installations.
Enjoying the topic.
Andy
RE: business case for Smart Grid
RE: business case for Smart Grid
from my limited view, there may be only two ways you can do the business case:
1: Bribe the utility management to get the "go do it" order.
2: Apply some Gove.policies to get it.
Other than that, I have not seen any cases.