Energy Management System Concepts

Abstract

World energy is rapidly approaching a point of transition where the traditional types of generation will be replaced with distributed generation. This will put an enormous strain on existing power grids and, if not properly managed, may lead to brownouts, blackouts, and enormous expenditures to upgrade the grids. Energy management technologies provide a means of smoothing the transition to these new technologies by manipulating generation and storage technologies and managing demands. Energy management coupled with energy storage is particularly important because it can deliver improved efficiency and reduce power spiking, reducing the strain on the grid. Improving the operation of the grid will be key to future developments in developed nations; however, the lessons learned could help to advance the structure of developing nation’s power grids to accelerate the introduction of clean energy worldwide.