Smart Grid

Over the years I have made various contacts with people across the globe, in no small part with the aid of the internet. Often these contacts have been made as the result of some detail on a website or some piece of writing that has caused me to ask questions or some clarification on some diverse topics, often though it is me trying to pick the brains of folks more knowledgeable on topics related to Climate Change, Environment, Renewable Energy or Conservation. I am always grateful for the assistance these folks give me. Often they are very busy people, and having them aid my understanding can help me explain issues and problems to others.
Occasionally a friendship develops and correspondence continues and expands to encompass other topics. Mostly though, folks are just too busy to reply. Sometimes, I get a mail from someone that I have spoken to previously but a long time ago.

I had such an email from a chap that I had spoken to ages ago. I even wondered how he had my current email address as it was that long ago since we last talked. I then discovered that he occasionally reads this mouse’s nonsense.

The last time we had spoken we had a dam good moan about the way that over in America and here in Europe the legislators were dragging their feet about renewable energy. That said even in the US while Bush was in power, individual states were pushing ahead with developing renewable energy resources. In Idaho for example they have just under fifteen percent of the states needs from wind power, while America as a nation has only one percent. However, what was always lacking was a proper national policy to help develop the infrastructure that renewable energy needs.

One of the key aspects is what is known as a “Smart Grid”. While I have praise for places like Denmark and Germany as they have the most developed Wind infrastructure, they have to rely upon coal to take up the slack when the wind drops. Therefore, the reduction in CO2 emissions is not as great as it could have been. Had we in Europe had or developed a Smart Grid, where the load is demand led rather than having power stations pushing electricity down the cables, our European renewable could then help reduce the CO2 emissions by a further four or five percent.

Also with a smart grid, it becomes possible to have a mixture of renewable's, Wind, Solar, as the main sources of power with hydro electric taking up the slack with the rest made up of Coal, Gas and Nuclear, without having to have idle coal waiting away in the background. This can only really happen effectively if the smart grid is a Europe wide system.

This brings me back to my American correspondent, as he was one of the members of the delegation that worked with the Obama transition team. Unlike other meetings with politicos where the renewable's industry would go in and explain what was needed only to be told that phrase “Well we will see what we can do” they were asked “How do we do this”. The “Smart Grid” is now part of the Financial Stimulus Package, and that has made another step towards becoming reality. So I am grateful to my friend to providing the insight of the positive workings of government.

One of the aspects of the Obama campaign that amused me was the phrase, the rallying cry of “Yes We Can”, as this is the catch phrase of a children’s cartoon character here in Britain, Bob the Builder. It genuinely looks as though it is much more than a meaningless phrase. To have a politician asking the people who know and understand what needs to be done is really refreshing. So if you have finished with utilising Bob the Builder as political adviser, can we have him back as we have the need of him over here. All we lack though is a truly green political leader.