The Smart Electric Grid and Its Role in the Energy Future

Although the smart grid has been promoted as the future solution to electricity transmission and distribution problems, most progress has occurred at the distribution and customer level. The smart transmission grid that will be reliable enough to avoid cascading failures, widespread enough to connect the windy plains and the sunny deserts to the population centers, and efficient enough to move cheaper generation to more expensive areas, is still in the conceptual stages. The technical specifications for the smart transmission grid are still being developed, and the research and development needed to get there are still being defined. In the first part of this presentation, we examine the monitoring, communication and control technologies needed to enable the smart transmission grid, and possible scenarios for updating the existing grid.

Only 40% of the energy consumed by the USA is converted to electricity, the main advantage of which is the cheap and efficient transport of this energy through the grid. Should this share be more to move a larger share of oil-based transportation to electricity? These kinds of questions are where energy policy research and energy science research intersect. In the second part of this presentation, we examine such larger policy and scientific issues where the University of Michigan can make significant contributions. The aim is to formulate the research questions clearly, in both policy and science, so that university research can be focused more directly on such a national and international problem.

Anjan Bose is a Regents Professor and the Distinguished Professor of Electric Power Engineering at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, where he also served as the Dean of the College of Engineering & Architecture from 1998 to 2005. He is a leading researcher on the operation and control of the electric power grid. He has worked in the electric power industry as well as academe for over 35 years.

Dr. Bose is a Member of the US National Academy of Engineering, a Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, a founding Board Member of the Washington State Academy of Science, and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He was the recipient of the Outstanding Power Engineering Educator Award, the Third Millennium Medal, and the Herman Halperin Electric Transmission & Distribution Award from the IEEE. He has been recognized by both Iowa State University and the Indian Institute of Technology with their distinguished alumnus awards. He has served on several editorial boards and on many technical committees and conference organizations. He was appointed by the governor to the board of directors of the Washington Technology Center, and by the US Secretary of Energy on the committee to study the 1999 and 2003 power blackouts. He has served on several committees of the US National Academies including those for Engineering Education, Cybersecurity Research, Power Grid Security, and America’s Energy Future. He has consulted for many electric power companies and related government agencies throughout the world.