The Electricity Networkd

An electricity network is one of the largest, most complicated, and most sophisticated systems in the
world. Worldwide, the electricity networks are old, outdated, and not smart enough to meet the 21st
century's requirements. Even in developed countries, millions of people are without power for a couple
of hours every day. Recently, the number of weather-caused major outages has increased rapidly,
mainly because most of the components of an electricity network are outdoor facilities. Even in the
countries with a modern power grid, the only way utilities know there is a power outage is when a
customer calls and reports. An electricity grid has to be smart enough to be able to handle thousands of
generators of different technologies and sizes as well as supplying electricity to millions of customers in
a reliable and sustainable way.

A smart phone, for example, means a phone with a computer in it. Similarly, a smart grid means a “fully
computerized” electricity grid. One of the key features of the smart grid is automation technology that
lets the utility adjust and control millions of devices from a central location. The concept of a smart grid
has been around for many years, but what's important for us is to understand what it really means and
how a smart grid can contribute to a reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective power supply. Another key
but challenging feature of the smart grid concept is customer involvement through two-way
communication between the electricity provider and the customer's electrical appliances.

The future electricity network should also be able to handle a large number of EVs, which will be
connected to the grid for charging and discharging. An EV can be integrated into the electricity network
easily and conveniently. The EV presents a new demand for electricity during its charging periods and
also can play an important role as distributed storage devices that could supply electric power back to
the grid. One of the benefits of an EV is that it can help the electricity network during those periods that
the network is facing peak demand. The second benefit is that the EV would be able to help shift the grid
load from a high-demand time to a low-demand time. The third benefit is that the EV would help
smooth variations in power generation caused by variable and intermittent renewable sources such as
solar energy and wind power. This benefit is very important because in the near future we will see more
renewable and intermittent energy sources connected to the so-called smart grid. In conclution,
electrical networks are important because they provide us with an essential good such as energy. They
function as a mesh that allows its distribution from one point to another, from where electricity is
generated to where it is consumed.