Smart Grid
Let's face it, the smart grid in the hands of the dumb power
companies may not be a good combination. In theory the smart grid
is suppose to let the power company communicate directly with
your home and especially your appliances.
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The theory goes that the smart grid will
be able to save electricity, increase efficiency, reduce
costs, increase reliability, promote renewable energy and
eventually create energy independence. This all sounds good,
now doesn't it?
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There are two problems with this so-called hypothesis, however.
First and foremost is that the smart grid will be run by the power
companies that we've all come to loathe. Let's face it, they overcharge
us for electricity, have a multiple tier billing system that no
one can understand and frequently mess up on our power bills.
So, it will be these same dumb people are will be implementing
smart grid technology. Second, think of the smart grid as a social
network for appliances. Since all of our home appliances will
be connected to the power grid, this will mean more activity.
Appliances in my home will naturally want to speak with appliances
in your home. For instance my toaster may post a Facebook picture
of the bread it burned this morning. Then your microwave may make
a joke that goes viral on the smart grid such as "Is your
refrigerator running? Well, you better go catch it."
So, you get my point that the smart grid will actually lead to
increased use of home appliances since there will be increased
communication. The invention of the Internet (by Al Gore and his
masseuse Tim Berners-Lee) has not led to a decrease in energy
usage. Quite the opposite is true.
More communication means more energy which means higher profits
for the power companies. The point of the electric company after
all is to turn a profit and not to make itself more efficient
and obsolete.
People think that the smart grid is so cool, and so leading edge
and that tomorrow your air conditioner, toaster, microwave, refrigerator,
cell phone will all be chatting like one little high school clique.
Then a tree falls on the power line (and nobody is there to hear
it) or a disgruntled employee decides to sabotage the homeowners
from the central office and the smart grid suddenly goes dumb
again.
Yes, the smart grid is good in theory. But, in reality it is
being run by the same ole dumb people who have a profit motive
to make it as inefficient as possible and to make even more mistakes
on your bills and not pay you for the renewable energy you put
back on the grid with your home wind turbine or solar panels.
The smart grid, I'm afraid will be quite cruel and disappointing
when implemented. I think I'll stick with my same ole dumbass
appliances for a while.
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