2016-11-17
A glimmer of light for bringing down the utility bill
The absence of a direct connection to energy providers also prevents real-time monitoring of the electric power grid, preventing service providers from identifying power outages, supply interruptions and peak consumption times more quickly, without forcing households to notify them every time the power goes down.
In this light, it is high time to improve the system. To this end, progress is being made in the effort to introduce the necessary technology required for effective management of energy deliveries through Smart Grids. Smart grids offer a new energy distribution architecture that is both safer and smarter and provides for two-way energy flows.
In addition, smart grids facilitate the integration of disparate energy sources. As an example, energy produced by consumers, such as household solar panels, could be used not only to supply energy to those households, but to the grid as a whole. Consumers could then compensate each other directly.
The Brazilian government has its eye set on the advantages of this new technology. In 2013, as part of the 6th Call of the EU-Brazil Sector Dialogues Support Facility, the Ministry of the Environment (Ministério do Meio Ambiente – MMA) presented an action proposal designed to share and exchange experiences with the European community on a number of applied technologies and methods relating to Smart Grids.
In 2014, as part of the 7th Call of the Sector Dialogues Support Facility, the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações – MCTIC) gave continuity to the project with an action proposal aimed at mapping companies, universities and research laboratories with the potential to forge cooperation projects with Brazilian entities to develop and production of new Smart Grid technologies. In 2015, during the 8th Call, the initiative focused its attention on learning more about the European regulatory framework for Smart Grids. “The more we are able to harmonise Brazilian and European legislation, the more we will be able to boost the exchange of expertise, products, companies and technologies between the two States”, says Eduardo Soriano, General Coordinator for Sector Technologies at the MCTIC.
In addition to the organisation of two editions of an international event on Smart Grids with the participation of scholars, businesses, and experts from around the world, including countries outside of Europe and South America, the respective actions also entailed the development of documents by contracted experts. One of these , in fact, became a reference in ELETROBRAS’ Directorate for Regulations, a unit with primary responsibility for generating a substantial portion of the energy consumed in Brazil. The second study, completed in August 2016, is aimed at contributing to the decisions on Smart Grid Regulations adopted in Brazil
Through the corresponding documents and related official missions, laws and other normative instruments are currently in the process of being prepared by a Working Group composed of representatives from a number of official institutions, MCTIC, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (Ministério de Minas e Energia) and the Brazilian National Electric Energy Agency (Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica – ANEEL) to regulate Smart Grids in Brazil. And to be sure, with all the work now underway in several Brazilian cities, including São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, it will not be long before digital metres and smart interconnections reach every Brazilian household. The actions sponsored under the Sector Dialogues Facility are designed, ultimately, to enhance the daily lives of ordinary citizens by contributing to improved and more effective management and delivery of electric energy and ensuring more sustainable energy production and distribution.
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