Today,聽utility companies聽must account for a new influx of multidirectional power flow spurred by an increase in grid-edge power sources such as solar panels, wind farms, and battery storage. This is tricky because utility companies built their infrastructure for unidirectional power flow 鈥� the one-way path from聽generation plants to energy customers.

And with states such as聽聽pushing for a 鈥渟marter鈥� grid that gives more power to customers 鈥� both figuratively and literally 鈥� it鈥檚 high time for transmission and distribution utility companies to make similar shifts.

The New Calculation

In this modern environment, the challenges facing the transmission and distribution sides are slightly different.

Transmission system operators have to account for proper planning and generation for a grid whose power needs can vary from moment to moment. Besides this, because the grid鈥檚 needs can shift on a much smaller scale, transmission players must find more effective ways to segment certain sections of the grid so they can run independently. This reduces the risk of rolling聽blackouts聽if there鈥檚 a misstep in the new power flow.

On the other hand, distribution system operators have increasingly found themselves acting as de facto transmitters. They鈥檙e distributing grid-edge power generation while coordinating with various transmission stations to relay data on how much power generation is actually required.

Because of this increase in multidirectional power flow,聽smart grid聽technology is no longer a luxury 鈥� it鈥檚 a requirement. Utility companies can鈥檛 effectively manage the physical changes in the grid without a better, more holistic understanding of where power is coming from and where it鈥檚 going.

Augmenting the grid with technology such as聽smart meters聽and improved storage batteries is one way to move forward. Besides this, making the necessary updates to infrastructure 鈥� which is decades old, in some cases 鈥� to accommodate multidirectional power flow is a pressing task for utility companies.

A Shift in Focus

In this journey of multidirectional smart grid deployment, utility companies are at various stages of maturity. Where they are in this journey depends on their investments in three key areas:

1. Physical network upgrades: Traditional utility infrastructure wasn鈥檛 built to handle multidirectional power flow. This means installing new infrastructure is a foundational need for smart grid deployment. This likely spells increased collaboration and partnership with public utility stakeholders and a renewed focus on regulatory compliance.
   
2. New technology for customers: If it isn鈥檛 already, smart meter installation should become the default tool to manage customer energy usage. However, utility companies shouldn鈥檛 stop there. Working with customers to install technology needed for power generation and storage will help bring more of the grid under utilities鈥� purview. Siting and installation of distributed energy resources is a collaborative effort, and utilities would do well to offer their customers a variety of choices
   
3. Cybersecurity and reliability improvements: With the advent of multidirectional power flow and smart grid technology, the task of operating a reliable, consistent power grid will gain new risks. Utility companies need to have the right balance of function and security to create safe, reliable networks.
   

If utility companies aren鈥檛 willing to make these types of investments, other companies will.聽聽looking to supplement the grid in these areas are already sweeping in and mapping out solutions. For industry incumbents, it isn鈥檛 a matter of whether they should change their transmission and distribution models. It鈥檚 a matter of how聽quickly聽they can do so.

If you鈥檙e looking to assist your organization鈥檚聽smart grid efforts聽but aren鈥檛 sure how to take the first steps, simply聽reach out聽to the experts at 91快活林. We鈥檙e ready to provide expert guidance through all stages of the process 鈥� no matter where you are right now.