{"id":8994,"date":"2017-08-30T07:00:02","date_gmt":"2017-08-30T15:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2017\/08\/30\/news-2767\/"},"modified":"2017-08-30T07:00:02","modified_gmt":"2017-08-30T15:00:02","slug":"news-2767","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2017\/08\/30\/news-2767\/","title":{"rendered":"Power distribution\u2019s paradigm shift: the new frontier in operational safety, reliability, and efficiency"},"content":{"rendered":"

Credit to Author: Estelle Barr\u00e9| Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2017 13:00:16 +0000<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all witnessed how the energy world is changing, and that pace of change is escalating. Compared to only a decade ago, electricity is being generated, distributed, and consumed in very different ways. No matter what kind of facility or business you\u2019re running, the evolving energy landscape presents great opportunities. But to seize them and realize the benefits you need the right infrastructure in place.<\/p>\n

This series of posts will reveal how power distribution systems are becoming more intelligent and connected to keep up with the new energy paradigm.\u00a0Let\u2019s start by looking at the underlying drivers behind this evolution.<\/p>\n

First, energy generation is being increasingly decentralized, in large part due to the emergence of renewables. It\u2019s estimated that by 2030 solar energy and storage will account for an 50% of new global capacity<\/a>. Beyond large, utility-scale wind and solar projects, large numbers of consumers and businesses are also jumping on the bandwagon to add \u2018green\u2019 onsite energy generation. Forming your own microgrid in this way can be, at least partially, a step toward energy self-sufficiency, as well as a source of emergency backup power.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Second, environmental concerns continue to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Currently, buildings account for 40% of CO2<\/sub> emissions in the US<\/a>, while still holding 82% of untapped energy efficiency. And as noted above, renewable energies are becoming mainstream, with solar panels transforming the face of many buildings today.\u00a0Together, these facts are good cause for optimism.<\/p>\n

The next trend is digitization. Not only is it touching every aspect of our lives, it\u2019s also impacting the way we run businesses. The transformation to what\u2019s being called \u2018smart buildings\u2019 is, fundamentally, about putting intelligent devices throughout a building\u2019s infrastructure to gain more visibility and control.<\/p>\n

And, finally, electrical consumption continues to grow worldwide. Thankfully, those trends in decentralization, decarbonization, and digitization are going to help manage this increasing demand much better.<\/p>\n

Power distribution is the backbone that ties these things together. But to take the next step in energy and facility performance requires:<\/p>\n