Smart Grid Modernization: Opportunities and Challenges

*Saumen Dhara, Alok Kumar Shrivastav and Pradip Kumar Sadhu*

## **Abstract**

Recently, there have been significant technological approaches for the bulk power grid. The customer demand is associated with conventional grid coupled large central generating stations through a high voltage transmission to a distribution system. Urban transmission systems are consistently progressing to meet the increasing needs for power and to replace old-pattern generation with native renewable generation and power provisions from outward green energy resources. Power grid is undergoing remarkable modernization towards advanced consistency, greater efficiency, and less cost by the incorporation of renewable energy and developed control technology. Quick developing nature of grid, consumer needs, and industrial invention situates substation modernization at the leading of grid transformation. Smart grid is essential to accomplish all the fastest technological reformations occurring in generation, transmission and distribution (T&D) of electric power, with growing application of sensors, computers and communications. In this study the recent trend and application of electric power grid is briefly enunciated.

**Keywords:** Power grid, renewable generation, transmission and distribution system, substation, electrified transportation system, smart meters, sensors, IoT based smart grid, Big data analysis

#### **1. Introduction**

For the past 100 years, substantial revolutionary developments have been made in the mass electricity system. With new developments including easily growing and ecological cordial generation tools, higher voltage apparatus, power electronics as high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems and versatile alternating current transmission system (FACTS) products, the grid network has been constantly modernised. Also, the outcomes of an efficient grid comprise, progression in computerised controlling process, safety and protection, voltage regulation, grid administration systems for development of power network, real-time activities, upkeep strategies for load demand response and energy-effective load management. For delivering of power, generating stations are contained basically of steam power stations that pre-owned non-renewable energy sources and hydro turbines which are turned into large inertia turbines. The transmission framework developed from nearby and provincial grids into a big interlinked system that was overseen by facilitated working and arranging techniques. Maximum load demands, advanced energy utilisation at unsurprising rates, and technical innovations are executed in a comparatively distinct operative and managerial atmosphere.

The electrical grid is a dazzling illustration of human inventiveness and designing of modern power network. It spans a huge number of miles, is taken care of by a large number of manufacturing amenities, and assists hundred millions of consumers. It is the biggest machine ever assembled and one that enables each figuring scheme, system administrations, and corresponding advancement of the Internet Era.

Grid network upgradation has been catch-all expression to allude variations required in the electric grid to familiarise all the fastest innovative changes occurring in the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power. Recent Grid is fundamental to guaranteeing the energy networks that empower our human lives and support our economic aspects that are prevented from future troublesome actions. Nevertheless, beyond just enlightening by reforming the power grid additionally makes a link to achieve significant ground on moderating the future effects of environmental change. All through the nation, efficacies and energy corporations have a remarkable benefit to spend in advancements and resolutions that improve the deceivability and control that operates the electric framework. These advances empower a scope of new capacities that improve flexibility, diminish working expenses and enhancing the effectivity by successfully upgrading the nature of electric assistance. These equivalent advances can likewise strengthen fundamental capacities to producing development on environment.

Inventions for power grid technologies build opportunities to enable T&D workflows. Smart data metering technology, grid management systems (DMS/ TMS), resource administration phases and geospacer application structures have also been covered by many rounds of grid engineering expenditures in developed economies. The latest solutions include networks and grids. These frameworks were broadly observed as segregated resolutions providing soloed framework necessities. Therefore, for these reasons, presently the reformation of grid is become troublesome. Service organisations have been reacted by proposing some complete gridmodernization strategies. In 2018, the requested grid modernization initiatives earned a mere \$2 billion out of \$15 billion. There is clearly a difference between the sort of service organisations suggest and what controls believe to be correct.

However, the grid network modernization ventures may meet a several aspirations. It is significant that the suitable protections are set up to assure benefits, which are exacerbated and consumer expenses are overseen. These incorporations, for adjusting the local arrangement destinations to extensive range distribution strategies, guaranteeing all advantage streams are run after, and checking that the aftereffects of these ventures are estimated against the normal results once they are set up. A few states are presently driving comprehensive partner cycles to guarantee these ventures and different contemplations are represented.

An efficient grid that saves reasonable energy expenses and advances monetary development is essential to our present-day civilization. Over its accomplishment, the grid ensures about the efficiency and excellence of satisfaction of people in the future by assisting with guaranteeing our energy remains consistently accessible and progressively green and maintainable. Specifically, grid modernization technique frequently suggests the growing utilisation of sensing instruments, PCs and communications, i.e., there are several techniques to keep up.

By the incorporation of the environmentally friendly energy sources making the transmission grid intensely complex to comprehend and prototype to apply a new controlling or activation techniques for advancements. This requires a quick prototyping stage for investigation and experimenting under the innovative novel broadcasting illustration. Such a structure ought to be profoundly incorporated, closed loop, and proficient for impersonating a substantive power grid for examining under new controls or algorithms. Though, conventional programming simulation packages generally perform specific errands, for example, dynamic simulation

*Smart Grid Modernization: Opportunities and Challenges DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97892*

or state assessment yet come up short on the capacity of giving an incorporated closed-loop platform. To acquire practical information for investigation under the new transmission worldview for working on a genuine power grid network. Moreover, Substation development stays a basic component of state-of- the-art electric power networks. Substation improvements incorporate the utilisation of hardware tests, maintainable practices, digitization, and progressive solutions for the needs of large power network with alongside recompense of reactive power and largedistance renewable incorporation of sustainable power sources. Substations should progressively act not just in light of a legitimate concern for the large grid, yet additionally on the ground of decision making at the neighbourhood level. They are dependent on knowledge processing areas to improve potential costs due to the introduction of technological advances.

#### **2. Necessity of grid modernization**

To attaining various goals, one major question is how much should be capitalised in the grid as too much (Distributed Energy Resources) DER schemes assist loads except using the grid for prolonged intervals of time. The consistency and security of the electric power supply load will possibly be impaired when renewable power supply is not available or is not subject to renewable power loss in the transmission and distribution (T&D) grid network. It is therefore necessary to improve the capacity of the T&D structure to host and enable increasing DER penetration ranges.

The transformation of the grid and the spread of DER are certainly related, however, it is not necessary for the prior to this transformation. Benefits like Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and Centre Point, operating in distribution areas that have evolving DER ranges, have been effectively employed with the continuation of incremental grid continuity to modernise grid networks. Resilience and network performance focus growing network prospects, customer facilities, and substitution of the old configuration. The 2600 numbers of smart on–off switches and 4,000 numbers smart sensor meters have been arranged since 2012, and the ComEd Energy Grid Restoration Act has remained capable of removing nearly 4.8 million customer disturbances. The restructured networks would make it easier to transition to a new trend requiring a deeper penetration of DERs, which has been a further benefit to grid modernisation.

States such as California and Hawaii violently endorse DER's deployment in order to accomplish the RPS objectives and shift a new delivery grid rapidly into successful service. In view of the pre-arranged achievement of grid equivalence by distributed generation in certain marketplaces, a standardised higher-range implementation of DERs is also inevitable. In order to facilitate the usual practice for present and future delivery systems, the accompaniments in grid restructuring infrastructures and schemes should be calculated with necessary savings.

#### **3. Features of changing electric power grid networks**

The fast improvement in the electricity grid network is guided by universal rules, finances and technological innovations. The improvement of the power network to ensure that green and sustainable energy supply consistent electricity. The energy grid has switched into the latest two-way power flow scheme with a very fast range and continues as shown in **Figure 1**.

**Figure 1.**

*Transition from traditional to new electrical grid with two-way power flow [1].*

The deregulation of electricity utilities in the United Kingdom and elsewhere was a significant cause of electrical markets. Battle eliminated the risk from the stockholders' rate spenders, lowered customer prices and enhanced rapid modernisation. The initiations of the markets and environmental policies have enabled large variations in the mixing of fuel, producing plants that produce coal and nuclear power as a resourceful natural gas-fired connective cycle unit. The current competition among the large electricity markets and universal plans which support or promote other traditions to use energy efficient renewable sources and to respond to huge demands. In terms of financing, such technical advances have steadily benefitted, leading to lower consumer prices, improved ecological management and deployment. The governing reform continues to lead to reforms in the utility company to address the problems of electricity supply system management. The ruling revolution promotes tremendous economic growth. The IoT simplifies additional choices that can be taken at geographic, remote or mechanical levels by customers to promote customer differences and preferences. The distribution system was engineered and developed essentially to meet full demand for load and transmit power initially over radial substructures. Today, however, more customers are increasingly using the grid to offset their own generation and load demand, as well as to be a holdup supply when their regional generation of energy is insufficient.

#### **4. A comprehensive grid modernization technique**

Electric grid upgradation is vital to confirming the energy saving schemes that empower our lives and support our budget which prevents from forthcoming troublesome actions. But far basically the grid upgradation also makes a situation to make significant development on modifying the forthcoming influences of environmental alteration.

All over the country, efficacies and energy corporations have an unparalleled benefit to capitalise in machineries and resolutions that improve the perceptibility and monitoring that controls the power network. So, technological innovations empower a series of novel abilities that progress resiliency, decrease working expenses and rise effectiveness. Hence, similar knowledges can also authorise introductory competences to creating development on environment.

However, savings for grid upgradation may synchronise a lot of ideas. It is significant that the proper precautions are in event to confirm the assistances are exploited and consumer expenses are controlled. These comprises line up provincial plan objectives with long-term deployment strategies, guaranteeing all helping streams are followed, and authenticating that the outcomes of these savings are surveyed in contradiction of the predictable results once they are in event.

Numerous countries are now foremost comprehensive and shareholder procedures to confirm these and other contemplations are taken by consideration. Therefore, an efficient grid that retains reasonable energy expenses and supports financial growth is emergent to our existing civilization. Numerous characteristics of Grid modernization are discussed as follows as indicated on **Figure 2**.
