Smart Power Grid Could Wreak Havoc On Itself

MrSeb writes "Smart power grid monitoring that lets you pick the exact cheapest time to run the dishwasher or recharge your electric car may put too much power (so to speak) in the hands of the consumer, according to a new study by MIT. Researchers say that users receiving minute-by-minute pricing information might cycle off-peak power use more rapidly than utilities can spool up their power plants. In other words, it's OK if you're the only person charging your Chevy Volt at 2am in the morning, but if a whole town does it exactly the same time... there will be issues."

if everyone is using off peak hours

[Osgeld]

they will quickly become peak hours, I have the upmost faith in our utilities to gouge us for whatever they can

How were electric cars EVER supposed to work?

[elrous0]

The big question that seemed/seems lost in all this "The electric car is gonna save the world!" hype is how an energy grid that can barely handle our energy needs AS IT IS is supposed to function when a significant portion of the population replaces their evil petroleum cars with electricity-draining electrics. When I've asked that question in the past to my usual suspect lineup of hippie friends (who also think that organic food and wind turbines are going to save us all too), the only answer I ever got was a vague "Well, most of that'll be happening at night, when the power demand is down anyway." But we're talking HUGE power usage spikes with those cars. Think of how much our system is already taxed when HVAC units have to cool a 10-degree-higher heat wave. Now imagine half the population plugging cars into the gird every night that draw WAY more power than any consumer HVAC unit.

Could be worse

[DrData99]

You could be charging your car at 2AM in the afternoon!

Re:if everyone is using off peak hours

[b0r1s]

You're exactly right ... the power used by businesses far exceeds the amount used by even busy households. Corporate ACs in 20 story buildings use far more electricity than people running appliances at night in their homes. Peak will remain peak, and even in the worst case, 'smart' enough grids should be able to distribute the load across the 'down' cycle, instead of everything running at 2am on the dot.

Re:Everybody Panic!

[Anonymous Coward]

This is why my whole town flushes at 2AM when toilet usage is at its lowest.

Re:easy

[GooberToo]

70%? Source, please. If everyone slowly charges their cars over 10-16 hours, this might work, but if many people want to charge their cars at the same time, it will bring the grid down to its knees. An electric car charger can add as much strain to a grid as a whole house.

You entirely missed the point.

By design cars are planned to support multiple charging modes. The most basic designs assume a fast charge and a slow charge. Those charging at night will use the slow charge method.. Furthermore, there has even been discussion on allowing the car to participate in the smart meter network such that it can intelligent switch based on current grid load in the neighborhood.

So long story short, typical charging at night, is fully expected the charge cycle to be spread out over at least 6-8 hours; if not longer.

Its not like the people planning this stuff are absolute fucking idiots. Making such lame assumptions tends to point the finger in the opposite direction.