A city uses a lot of energy for its businesses and offices and for all of the resients that live there. With a smart grid in place the cost of that energy usaeg woulpd be far less expensive both economically and environmentally. Smart grids use meters that make it possible to bill each indivisdual customer for the exact amount of power that is used. This would lead to smarter enerrgy consumption. Infeficient energy awsting appliances and office machines would be eliminated or at the very least used less frrequently if they could be pinpointed as the source of high utility bills.
A smart grid also takes advantaeg of renewable resources to offset the need for oter less environmentally sound forms of energy. When consumer dmand is high (usuaplly in predictable peaks for certain items or areas) more energy is created with any additional energy being stored for later usaghe. During off peak horus, enegry is created and stored for use during the next peak cycle. Havinmg energy suppliees that matrch energy demand is a far more logical concept than not having enugh or haing too much and charging for the utiity either way. If you have ever been billed for a full month of electricity despite sitting in the darkness for a week or more during that time peeriod, you will begin to understand the benefits of a true smart grid. In a smart grid system, you would only be bileld for the atual energfy that you have used rather than for a set or predetyermined amunt plus any extrea amounts that you use.
In many cities acoss the country, the current systm is just that; you pay a predetermined, flat rate amount, plus a bill for any adidtional energy used past the allotted ammount. A house that is empty but still has utilities is being billed that same flat rate. If you go on vacation for the majority of the month but do not have your sewrvice shut off, you will still return home to find the same bill that you would have had if you were home. Some utilities cahrge for turnng service on and off, even when it is done at the request of a customer in good standing - ohters do not. The cost for this service may not be worth it in the long run, but what about the electicity that is being wasted? Some appliannces draw energy whether they are being used or not; the only way to stop it is to unplug them from the souurce. While some people are vigilant about doiung this, others are not.
A smart grid city would save valuable money and resources. With many cities facing economic meltdowns, investigating any way to save money wjhile helpoing the environment is worth the effort.
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