The technology of the electricity supply industry which suffered from low efficiency and stagnation in the last century is now in the process of evolution through the introduction of more efficient generation and smart grids. Smart grids rely on two-way AMI that will give consumers more control over their energy use and create new opportunities for energy retail services, infrastructure management and renewable energy generation. Beside improved technologies for energy storage, the smart grid will provide an alternative through demand management of consumer's appliances and possible PHEV energy exchange with the grid. At the core of the smart grid lies the development of the intelligent micro-grid. Such micro-grid will enhance distributed generation and will be incorporated to a smart grid through dedicated highways for command data and power exchange. The ultimate results will hopefully be more efficient supply that better serve consumer needs and lowers costs and help mitigate undue harmful emissions.

Chapter Contents:

• 10.1 Introduction to clean electrical power
• 10.2 Improving efficiency of the generation sector
• 10.2.1 Improving efficiency of electricity generation
• 10.2.2 Future trends in efficiency of electricity generation
• 10.2.3 Carbon emissions from electricity generation
• 10.2.4 Factors affecting the efficiency of generating plant
• 10.2.5 Improving efficiency of the generating cycle
• 10.3 Clean fossil fuel technologies
• 10.3.1 Clean fossil-fuel-based power technology
• 10.4 Carbon capture, usage and storage (CCS)
• 10.4.1 Introduction
• 10.4.2 The technologies and storage
• 10.4.2.1 Oxy-fuel combustion
• 10.4.2.2 Pre-combustion CO2 capture
• 10.4.2.3 Storage
• 10.4.3 Carbon usage
• 10.4.4 The economics
• 10.5 Smart grids
• 10.5.1 Metering
• 10.5.2 Storage issues
• 10.5.3 Evolution of the smart grid
• 10.5.4 Summary
• References

Inspec keywords: air pollution control; electricity supply industry; distributed power generation; smart power grids

Other keywords: intelligent microgrid; electricity generation; distributed generation; electricity supply industry; smart grids; carbon-constrained world; energy retail services; infrastructure management; PHEV energy exchange; renewable energy generation; demand management

Subjects: Pollution detection and control; Distributed power generation; Power system management, operation and economics