|
P3-1. DEMAND-CONTROLLED VENTILATION ASSESSMENT > Background
Battelle has invention reports submitted
documenting concepts for simple, inexpensive
control strategies for hot water heaters
and refrigerators that minimize peak load
impacts on the electric generation and transmission
and distribution (T&D) systems. Reducing
peak loads has benefits to all ratepayers
by reducing the need for new T&D infrastructure,
particularly where population growth is large.
Battelle has also conducted internally-funded
research that shows that instabilities in
the grid can be very effectively damped by
rapidly (>60 Hz) cycling electric resistance
loads to balance the instabilities. With
the deregulation of the electric utility
industry in California, operation of the
grid will be increasingly pushed to the full
margin of its capability. This leaves the
system vulnerable to events outside its control
such as loss of interstate transmission lines
or voltage support (such as occurred during
the Northridge earthquake and the California
outage spawned by a grid failure in the Pacific
Northwest). By safely operating the grid
closer to its limits, ratepayers need not
pay for large capital investments in capacity
of the T&D infrastructure and large operating
costs for spinning (standby) reserve generation
capacity needed to ensure grid stability.
Further, it is proposed that techniques be
developed to drop specific end-use loads
for short periods, both during grid crises
and upon restoration of power, to reduce
the stress placed on the grid during these
transient operations. Dropping loads during
crises can reduce the overall load momentarily,
helping stabilize the grid and prevent an
outage. Similar benefits can be obtained
during recovery from an outage. For example,
the predominant electric induction motors
have startup transients that draw seven-times
the power required during steady-state operation.
Simply delaying and staggering these loads
during grid re-powering will allow the grid
to restart quicker and with more confidence.
Back to Previous Page
|
