Energy Challenges of Smart Cities:
The move toward decarbonization in smart cities is not just about getting to net zero carbon emissions—it is also about consuming energy wisely. Smart cities are data-driven environments where sensor information guides decision-making processes.
The city of Austin, Texas, for example, has invested in smart grid infrastructure with the expectation that it will dynamically funnel and distribute energy depending on real-time needs. The key to a smart energy model like this lies with utility customers, who can play an active role by using an application to monitor and manage their own energy use.
Such efficiencies come not a minute too soon. Urban centers are buckling under the twin strains of migration and population growth. By 2050, 7 out of 10 people will live in cities, according to the World Bank. Extreme weather events only add to the problem, causing disruptions to energy supply and subsequently creating critical demand in harsh conditions. Cities need smart energy systems to handle this increased demand. In this blog, we explain how smart energy systems provide great promise to meet the growing power demands of bustling urban centers, and we examine the challenges to implementing such an infrastructure.
Smart Energy Systems Improve Efficiency
How are smart energy systems more efficient? By continuous monitoring, their responses become proactive rather than reactive. Energy distribution is decentralized and bidirectional, meaning multiple grids, including microgrids, feed into a distributed energy system. At the same time, the grid allows renewable energy sources like solar panels from residential units or wind farms to feed into the system. Both the inputs and outputs of such systems are complex and feed on data, mostly from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. With this complexity comes challenges, but they can be resolved with the right strategies and tools.
Establishing Smart Cities Brings Complications
Smart energy might be the solution for growing urban populations, but to reach that point, cities need to overcome hurdles. In addition to technology-related bottlenecks, one of the biggest challenges might be the public will from governments to enact regulations and ensure funding for programs that may take years to fall into place. When it comes to the technology, some problems smart cities face include new patterns of energy consumption and generation, legacy infrastructure limitations, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
New Patterns of Energy Consumption and Generation
While the traditional model of providing energy involves energy flowing from a central generator to distribution systems and then to residential and commercial units, smart cities use distributed energy systems for more effective management. Legacy grids are not designed to handle power feeding into the grid from sources like solar farms. Not only are the grids working with new sources of power, but they also must adapt to the bidirectional flow of this power supply.
Advanced grid management systems are required to process real-time data from multiple sources, such as sensors, to dynamically adjust supply and demand. Small localized microgrids reduce strain on the main grid and effectively funnel energy to key areas.
Legacy Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Problems
When millions of IoT devices connect to smart meters or other devices that then connect to the grid, a single weak link can compromise crucial utilities and cripple a city. Cybersecurity is especially challenging when working with legacy infrastructure because the integration of information technology systems with operational technology systems (IT/OT convergence) in such cases may leave security loopholes.
Continuous network monitoring, encrypted communications, and zero-trust policies help protect smart energy infrastructure. Cities can choose to outsource detection management and response services to cybersecurity experts and conduct regular “fire drills” to ensure the integrity of security protocols.
Ensuring Disruption-Free Service
Unfortunately, cyber breaches are not the only way to bring power grids down. Severe weather events are becoming increasingly common and can paralyze the grid for hours, if not days. In addition, relying on energy from renewable sources in real time may be risky because solar and wind power depend on certain weather conditions to generate power supply. Switching to electric vehicles (EVs) also increases the strain on the grid, especially if many users choose to recharge their vehicles at the end of the day. Additionally, as the climate warms, the increased use of air conditioning will also strain the power grid.
Together, these factors threaten to disrupt service and increase the chance of outages. Such service outages can be seriously damaging, especially for essential services like hospitals and airports, among others.
One viable solution is for cities to use battery banks as energy storage solutions, which can then be deployed as renewable energy production dips. With this solution, incentives can encourage consumers to use energy during off-peak hours to help decrease loads.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can also play a central role in analyzing the large volumes of data and predicting both consumer and grid behavior. Such forecasts enable smart cities to be proactive instead of reactive to energy challenges. Many startups and companies are addressing different aspects of energy delivery in smart cities. For example, UK-based Octopus Energy optimizes energy distribution from energy generators using advanced AI, wherein a smart grid platform balances loads to ensure efficient energy delivery. To ensure a complete smart infrastructure, Octopus Energy installs smart meters, EV chargers, and heat pumps. Meanwhile, Montreal-based BrainBox AI uses AI to optimize HVAC technology, making buildings smarter and greener.
Greener and Smarter Energy Futures
Urban centers face a variety of energy challenges: increased demand due to weather extremes and population growth, as well as the expansion of data center operations. While smart city power management can seem daunting due to its intricacy, it is readily manageable with the combination of technological innovation and well-designed policy frameworks.
Source: Mouser blog
