Smart Grid; power system of future An overview
Name: Dr. Muhammad Abrar Shami
Affiliation: National Grid/Saudi Electricity Company.
Description:
Dr. Muhammad Abrar Shami emphasized that energy is the lifeline of modern economies. Households, industry, transportation, agriculture, health, and education all depend on energy. Energy security is the cornerstone of the national and international development framework. Almost 1.3 billion people are still without electricity. The global energy mix is coal 38%, natural gas 23%, hydro 16%, nuclear 10%, and oil 3% so as a whole 64% of fossil fuels are used for electricity generation. He uses the source to socket concepts which include generation losses, T & D losses, and energy mix. A Smart Grid is an evolved electrical system that uses digital technology from the generation to consumers enabled through pervasive information and communication technology (ICT) to improve reliability, security, efficiency, resiliency, and agility. The digitalized power grid is efficient due to standard, reliable due to cyber security & privacy, and sustainable due to performance metrics. He said that the EU has an EU Vision 20,20,20 by 2020 that is reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, increasing renewable energy generation share by 20%, and increasing energy efficiency by 20%.
Smart Grid is bi-directional as compared to a unidirectional conventional grid. Smart Grid focuses on renewable wind and solar systems. Smart metering is a key step in a smart grid system because it fully automates the distribution system. Moreover, it is resilient to attacks and natural disasters with rapid restoration capabilities. He also told us about the Big 3 Saifi, Saidi, and Caidi indices. Out of which Saifi and Saidi are the most used pair of reliability indices. Smart Grid promises to revolutionize the production, delivery, and use of electricity worldwide. It is to be the bedrock of world economies. The transmission companies are needed to orderly transform towards a smarter grid through the digitalization of the power grid using string ICT platform.
Question and Answer:
Q1. Can you highlight a little bit since you know very well what is the situation in Pakistan? With your experience with Saudi Arabia can you kindly give some recommendations for Pakistan policymakers for taking steps towards smart grid system applications in Pakistan? Since our network is in very poor condition. So what important steps we should take considering the IPPs, Discos, PPA, etc in Pakistan How can we move forward and follow the same lines as you mentioned in Saudi Arabia?
A: The first thing is that we need a sustained policy. We cannot work now with these producers. We need to start from generation up to the consumer. The basic thing is the deployment of a smart metering system. Earlier if you deploy a smart meter your grid is smart. The transmission side, the consumer side, and the generation side. These smartness or digitalization concept come late. The first step is the deployment of a smart meter. I gave many pieces of advice to the chairman of NEPRA during my talks there that we have a smart grid. You need to start as a regulator and educate them. I suggested that take a step and put all in your ground wire all of your ground wires should be optical ground wires. If we have optical ground wire it can do wonders. If you have the fiber of course you have communication, and data monitoring you have a better picture. Lastly the deployment of the WAMS. The physical measurement units and height area monitoring system is the only solution to avid Black Outs.
Q2. Keeping in view the smart grid system since Pakistan is promoting renewable energy and power integration into the grid so how do you think that will affect the stability of our grid with the power ejection?
A: In Saudi Arabia and different parts of the world there are the following types of renewable. Rooftop PV but we faced stability issues and we may face issues related to the harmonics so in Saudi Arabia we have adopted rooftop PV. Less than 2 MW there is a range between 2 to 25 MW that we call transmission grade renewable even if that is not yet adopted because we are still in the process of standardization of the product and solutions then we should adopt it. In Saudi Arabia we have right now utility grade renewable the target is very ambitious can you imagine by 2030 they want 60000 MW? Now they are going at utility grade like 2000,4000 and 5000 MW solar and renewable so that you can integrate it very easily. You have standardization to integrate it but to answer your question we should not go without preparation for the rooftop even for the industrial grid. Off-grid no problem but when you bring it to the on-grid you have to take a number of steps. Otherwise, your network will be jeopardized.
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- UET Lahore
- Lahore, Punjab
- Pakistan 54000