Have you ever thought about what Thomas Edison would think about our current energy grid? Well, he might be surprised that it doesn’t look very different from the original grid established in New York. Although the energy industry has made significant advancements in technology and efficiencies, the U.S. continues to operate an aging power grid. GE recently hosted the Women’s Energy Network of Atlanta at their Grid IQ Experience Center. It was a showcase of the products GE produces to help their customers operate more efficiently. We learned how downed lines can be identified and power be diverted in a matter of milliseconds, while outages can be located and addressed before consumers even notify the local utility. The Grid IQ Experience Center included a discussion about distributed generation and the smart technology that can be used to move renewable generation to battery storage or made available for consumption. While most of the technology from GE is geared towards utilities and large commercial or industrial users, a section of the Center does focus on the average consumer and how energy can be consumed more efficiently inside your home. The visit to the Grid IQ Experience Center was a great opportunity to learn how our grid already operates more efficiently than the days of Thomas Edison, but also eye-opening, to see the potential for a smarter grid.
To learn more about the Grid IQ Experience Center, click here.
