Antinuclear

Decentralised smart power for regional Australia

Smart power works best when used by bright sparks The Age JOHN MARTIN October 6, 2009 “…………An intelligent grid will also accept power from different and decentralised sources, not just the huge, centralised, coal-burning, power plants in places such as the Latrobe Valley. Already the Federal Government has legislated that 20 per cent of the nation’s electricity must come from renewable sources by 2020. A smart grid that accepts power from decentralised solar and wind plants could also redefine what’s on and off-peak. It might just be that off-peak tariffs, to consumers near solar and wind plants, will occur when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing, not at night, as has been the case………………….

the greatest intelligence rests with our decisions to harness these blossoming capabilities, especially in remote and regional Australia. Indeed, the nation’s 28 major regional centres with populations of 100,000 or more are those that need to get up to speed with the changes and learn to exploit the ”smart” grid. Many are currently disadvantaged because they are a long way from centralised power-generating plants. Being further along the transmission line makes them more vulnerable to brown-outs and line losses. For example, 17 per cent of Bendigo’s power bill is for nought because for every kilowatt generated in the Latrobe Valley, just 83 per cent of that kilowatt arrives in the city.

Smart power works best when used by bright sparks

October 6, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy | energy, nuclear, renewable, reneweable energy