[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] what would my weekend look like without
what would my weekend look like without
what would my weekend look like without electric power not so good I would have
electric power not so good I would have
electric power not so good I would have no lights no computer no internet no
no lights no computer no internet no
no lights no computer no internet no heating or cooling come to think of it
heating or cooling come to think of it
heating or cooling come to think of it no running water because my house is on
no running water because my house is on
no running water because my house is on a well so things could get smelly pretty
a well so things could get smelly pretty
a well so things could get smelly pretty fast and no coffee and these are some of
fast and no coffee and these are some of
fast and no coffee and these are some of the solar panels that live on the
the solar panels that live on the
the solar panels that live on the rooftop of my house and on an average
rooftop of my house and on an average
rooftop of my house and on an average day they make more electricity than I
day they make more electricity than I
day they make more electricity than I consume unfortunately when the grid is
consume unfortunately when the grid is
consume unfortunately when the grid is down they don’t make any electricity at
down they don’t make any electricity at
down they don’t make any electricity at all and there’s a good reason for that
all and there’s a good reason for that
all and there’s a good reason for that the inverter that’s the device that
the inverter that’s the device that
the inverter that’s the device that takes direct current made by the solar
takes direct current made by the solar
takes direct current made by the solar panels and turns it into alternating
panels and turns it into alternating
panels and turns it into alternating current that’s compatible with my
current that’s compatible with my
current that’s compatible with my appliances and with the electric grid
appliances and with the electric grid
appliances and with the electric grid well the inverter is designed to turn
well the inverter is designed to turn
well the inverter is designed to turn off when there’s a problem with the grid
off when there’s a problem with the grid
off when there’s a problem with the grid so that utility operators who get sent
so that utility operators who get sent
so that utility operators who get sent out to fix things don’t get electrocuted
out to fix things don’t get electrocuted
out to fix things don’t get electrocuted okay I’m an engineer I have a solution
okay I’m an engineer I have a solution
okay I’m an engineer I have a solution batteries batteries for when the Sun is
batteries batteries for when the Sun is
batteries batteries for when the Sun is not shining and an inverter that’s
not shining and an inverter that’s
not shining and an inverter that’s designed to work off-grid so now I’m
designed to work off-grid so now I’m
designed to work off-grid so now I’m independent and I can say goodbye to my
independent and I can say goodbye to my
independent and I can say goodbye to my electricity provider and I don’t have to
electricity provider and I don’t have to
electricity provider and I don’t have to care about what happens to the big grid
care about what happens to the big grid
care about what happens to the big grid right well maybe not so fast think about
right well maybe not so fast think about
right well maybe not so fast think about what could happen after two weeks of no
what could happen after two weeks of no
what could happen after two weeks of no electric power no food at the grocery
electric power no food at the grocery
electric power no food at the grocery store no gas at the pumps because pumps
store no gas at the pumps because pumps
store no gas at the pumps because pumps run on electricity if I get sick maybe
run on electricity if I get sick maybe
run on electricity if I get sick maybe no drugs at the pharmacy if I get really
no drugs at the pharmacy if I get really
no drugs at the pharmacy if I get really sick maybe the hospital won’t be able to
sick maybe the hospital won’t be able to
sick maybe the hospital won’t be able to treat me and if this goes on for any
treat me and if this goes on for any
treat me and if this goes on for any length of time
length of time
length of time I might start coveting my neighbors
I might start coveting my neighbors
I might start coveting my neighbors dog and this is not science fiction
dog and this is not science fiction
dog and this is not science fiction this almost something like this almost
this almost something like this almost
this almost something like this almost happened in New Mexico in 2011 during
happened in New Mexico in 2011 during
happened in New Mexico in 2011 during the big freeze and a black sky event so
the big freeze and a black sky event so
the big freeze and a black sky event so this is where a large section of the
this is where a large section of the
this is where a large section of the grid goes down for an extended period of
grid goes down for an extended period of
grid goes down for an extended period of time
time
time it’s a real danger this keeps a lot of
it’s a real danger this keeps a lot of
it’s a real danger this keeps a lot of people awake at night like people at
people awake at night like people at
people awake at night like people at Homeland Security for example or utility
Homeland Security for example or utility
Homeland Security for example or utility operators so ok the big grid is
operators so ok the big grid is
operators so ok the big grid is vulnerable and my small survivalist grid
vulnerable and my small survivalist grid
vulnerable and my small survivalist grid is probably also not going to help me
is probably also not going to help me
is probably also not going to help me for very long so maybe the solution lies
for very long so maybe the solution lies
for very long so maybe the solution lies somewhere in between at the community
somewhere in between at the community
somewhere in between at the community scale so this is a community this is
scale so this is a community this is
scale so this is a community this is Corrales New Mexico just where I live
Corrales New Mexico just where I live
Corrales New Mexico just where I live 85 8,500 people live there in about
85 8,500 people live there in about
85 8,500 people live there in about 3,000 houses and it’s a community not
3,000 houses and it’s a community not
3,000 houses and it’s a community not unlike lots of other residential
unlike lots of other residential
unlike lots of other residential communities in the United States this is
communities in the United States this is
communities in the United States this is how people in Corrales get their
how people in Corrales get their
how people in Corrales get their electricity the distribution feeder
electricity the distribution feeder
electricity the distribution feeder that’s the set of blue and red lines it
that’s the set of blue and red lines it
that’s the set of blue and red lines it taps into the transmission grid where
taps into the transmission grid where
taps into the transmission grid where the little lightning is and it delivers
the little lightning is and it delivers
the little lightning is and it delivers power to meters at people’s houses and
power to meters at people’s houses and
power to meters at people’s houses and right now a small percentage of
right now a small percentage of
right now a small percentage of electricity in Corrales is is generated
electricity in Corrales is is generated
electricity in Corrales is is generated locally by about a hundred rooftop solar
locally by about a hundred rooftop solar
locally by about a hundred rooftop solar installations just like mine
installations just like mine
installations just like mine that’s where the little red dots are so
that’s where the little red dots are so
that’s where the little red dots are so if we want to make our community more
if we want to make our community more
if we want to make our community more resilient we could start by adding more
resilient we could start by adding more
resilient we could start by adding more local generation more solar solar is is
local generation more solar solar is is
local generation more solar solar is is becoming cheaper and cheaper by the day
becoming cheaper and cheaper by the day
becoming cheaper and cheaper by the day so this is happening and while we’re at
so this is happening and while we’re at
so this is happening and while we’re at it we could also install some batteries
it we could also install some batteries
it we could also install some batteries batteries used to be really expensive
batteries used to be really expensive
batteries used to be really expensive now they’re only moderately expensive
now they’re only moderately expensive
now they’re only moderately expensive and they too are getting cheaper by the
and they too are getting cheaper by the
and they too are getting cheaper by the day so this is also going to happen
day so this is also going to happen
day so this is also going to happen okay so now I have lots of solar I have
okay so now I have lots of solar I have
okay so now I have lots of solar I have batteries and let’s say that something
batteries and let’s say that something
batteries and let’s say that something happens to the big grid so I go to the
happens to the big grid so I go to the
happens to the big grid so I go to the substation and unplugged my distribution
substation and unplugged my distribution
substation and unplugged my distribution grid from the transmission grid and I go
grid from the transmission grid and I go
grid from the transmission grid and I go solo my community goes solo it’s called
solo my community goes solo it’s called
solo my community goes solo it’s called the micro grid micro grid is a
the micro grid micro grid is a
the micro grid micro grid is a self-contained electrical circuit that
self-contained electrical circuit that
self-contained electrical circuit that has its own power generation and its own
has its own power generation and its own
has its own power generation and its own loads okay so is this going to work
loads okay so is this going to work
loads okay so is this going to work probably not the way things are set up
probably not the way things are set up
probably not the way things are set up right now that’s because all these power
right now that’s because all these power
right now that’s because all these power generators all these power consumers
generators all these power consumers
generators all these power consumers they’re all doing their own thing nobody
they’re all doing their own thing nobody
they’re all doing their own thing nobody talks to each other in fact they didn’t
talks to each other in fact they didn’t
talks to each other in fact they didn’t even talk the same language a little bit
even talk the same language a little bit
even talk the same language a little bit like the Tower of Babel so for example
like the Tower of Babel so for example
like the Tower of Babel so for example when do it turn street lights on when do
when do it turn street lights on when do
when do it turn street lights on when do I turn water treatment pumps on who gets
I turn water treatment pumps on who gets
I turn water treatment pumps on who gets power first the Walmart the hospital or
power first the Walmart the hospital or
power first the Walmart the hospital or customers TV sets
customers TV sets
customers TV sets so one thing we have to understand about
so one thing we have to understand about
so one thing we have to understand about power systems is that generation has to
power systems is that generation has to
power systems is that generation has to be equal to consumption at any given
be equal to consumption at any given
be equal to consumption at any given time otherwise the system crashes so
time otherwise the system crashes so
time otherwise the system crashes so this is what happens right now in my
this is what happens right now in my
this is what happens right now in my hypothetical high solar distribution
hypothetical high solar distribution
hypothetical high solar distribution feeder that’s connected to the grid the
feeder that’s connected to the grid the
feeder that’s connected to the grid the orange curve is generation from a few
orange curve is generation from a few
orange curve is generation from a few hundred solar rooftop installations and
hundred solar rooftop installations and
hundred solar rooftop installations and the blue curve is consumption power
the blue curve is consumption power
the blue curve is consumption power consumption as a function of time is a
consumption as a function of time is a
consumption as a function of time is a function of time of day and obviously
function of time of day and obviously
function of time of day and obviously they’re not the same but that’s okay
they’re not the same but that’s okay
they’re not the same but that’s okay because we’re connected to the grid so
because we’re connected to the grid so
because we’re connected to the grid so it makes up for the difference so when I
it makes up for the difference so when I
it makes up for the difference so when I disconnect from the grid though I have
disconnect from the grid though I have
disconnect from the grid though I have to make sure that the two curves end up
to make sure that the two curves end up
to make sure that the two curves end up matching so how do I do that not a whole
matching so how do I do that not a whole
matching so how do I do that not a whole lot that I can do about the orange curve
lot that I can do about the orange curve
lot that I can do about the orange curve because that’s driven by where the Sun
because that’s driven by where the Sun
because that’s driven by where the Sun is where the clouds are if they get in
is where the clouds are if they get in
is where the clouds are if they get in front and Sun but what I can do is I can
front and Sun but what I can do is I can
front and Sun but what I can do is I can change the shape of the blue curve by
change the shape of the blue curve by
change the shape of the blue curve by controlling thousands of
controlling thousands of
controlling thousands of devices like smart appliances like
devices like smart appliances like
devices like smart appliances like batteries like cars that are plugged in
batteries like cars that are plugged in
batteries like cars that are plugged in electric cars that are plugged in for
electric cars that are plugged in for
electric cars that are plugged in for recharging these things that might
recharging these things that might
recharging these things that might belong to you and me they might belong
belong to you and me they might belong
belong to you and me they might belong to local businesses they might even
to local businesses they might even
to local businesses they might even belong to the utility and a couple of
belong to the utility and a couple of
belong to the utility and a couple of other things that need to be there for
other things that need to be there for
other things that need to be there for all this to work first of all we need
all this to work first of all we need
all this to work first of all we need communication standards so that all
communication standards so that all
communication standards so that all devices talk the same language and the
devices talk the same language and the
devices talk the same language and the second thing that we’re going to need is
second thing that we’re going to need is
second thing that we’re going to need is a micro grid controller so this is a
a micro grid controller so this is a
a micro grid controller so this is a device that it’s a computer that takes
device that it’s a computer that takes
device that it’s a computer that takes information from all these devices in
information from all these devices in
information from all these devices in the wilderness what they’re doing now
the wilderness what they’re doing now
the wilderness what they’re doing now what they want to do in the next five
what they want to do in the next five
what they want to do in the next five minutes next hour and it makes some
minutes next hour and it makes some
minutes next hour and it makes some relatively complex calculations and it
relatively complex calculations and it
relatively complex calculations and it dispatches their operation so that
dispatches their operation so that
dispatches their operation so that orange curve and blue curve end up
orange curve and blue curve end up
orange curve and blue curve end up looking the same and we don’t completely
looking the same and we don’t completely
looking the same and we don’t completely know how to do this but there’s a lot of
know how to do this but there’s a lot of
know how to do this but there’s a lot of science a lot of research and
science a lot of research and
science a lot of research and development going on at universities at
development going on at universities at
development going on at universities at National Labs and in industry so how is
National Labs and in industry so how is
National Labs and in industry so how is this going to affect how I use
this going to affect how I use
this going to affect how I use electricity well under normal conditions
electricity well under normal conditions
electricity well under normal conditions it’s not so my smart appliance is going
it’s not so my smart appliance is going
it’s not so my smart appliance is going to do whatever it’s designed to do and
to do whatever it’s designed to do and
to do whatever it’s designed to do and it’s going to work with the grid in the
it’s going to work with the grid in the
it’s going to work with the grid in the background so for example my smart
background so for example my smart
background so for example my smart thermostat is going to turn on and off
thermostat is going to turn on and off
thermostat is going to turn on and off the air conditioner the compressor in
the air conditioner the compressor in
the air conditioner the compressor in the air conditioner in coordination with
the air conditioner in coordination with
the air conditioner in coordination with hundreds of other smart thermostats like
hundreds of other smart thermostats like
hundreds of other smart thermostats like it but it’s gonna make sure that the
it but it’s gonna make sure that the
it but it’s gonna make sure that the temperature that I set in the house
temperature that I set in the house
temperature that I set in the house stays to what I set it to great but
stays to what I set it to great but
stays to what I set it to great but still what’s in it for me why should I
still what’s in it for me why should I
still what’s in it for me why should I care about any of this why should I pay
care about any of this why should I pay
care about any of this why should I pay attention why should I spend any money
attention why should I spend any money
attention why should I spend any money on this what did I just keep buying
on this what did I just keep buying
on this what did I just keep buying cheap reliable electric power like I’ve
cheap reliable electric power like I’ve
cheap reliable electric power like I’ve been doing for my entire life
been doing for my entire life
been doing for my entire life well you can think about it as insurance
well you can think about it as insurance
well you can think about it as insurance policy insurance policy against
policy insurance policy against
policy insurance policy against something really big really bad
something really big really bad
something really big really bad happening to the grid and this is
happening to the grid and this is
happening to the grid and this is probably not a matter of if it’s more
probably not a matter of if it’s more
probably not a matter of if it’s more like a matter of when and if something
like a matter of when and if something
like a matter of when and if something like this happens we really might and
like this happens we really might and
like this happens we really might and eating our neighbors pets or our
eating our neighbors pets or our
eating our neighbors pets or our neighbors and on top of that we get a
neighbors and on top of that we get a
neighbors and on top of that we get a cleaner environment because these
cleaner environment because these
cleaner environment because these microgrids are able to absorb a whole
microgrids are able to absorb a whole
microgrids are able to absorb a whole lot more clean renewable energy than the
lot more clean renewable energy than the
lot more clean renewable energy than the system the way it’s set up right now so
system the way it’s set up right now so
system the way it’s set up right now so let’s embrace our clean electric future
let’s embrace our clean electric future
let’s embrace our clean electric future remember insurance works better if
remember insurance works better if
remember insurance works better if everybody buys into it so when we make a
everybody buys into it so when we make a
everybody buys into it so when we make a major purchasing decision let’s think
major purchasing decision let’s think
major purchasing decision let’s think about this let’s think electric vehicle
about this let’s think electric vehicle
about this let’s think electric vehicle let’s think smart appliance so let’s
let’s think smart appliance so let’s
let’s think smart appliance so let’s think home energy management system also
think home energy management system also
think home energy management system also we could allow our utility companies or
we could allow our utility companies or
we could allow our utility companies or local governments or regulators to
local governments or regulators to
local governments or regulators to upgrade the shared infrastructure that’s
upgrade the shared infrastructure that’s
upgrade the shared infrastructure that’s on the ground already it may cost us a
on the ground already it may cost us a
on the ground already it may cost us a little bit more in the electric bill at
little bit more in the electric bill at
little bit more in the electric bill at the end of the month but upgrading the
the end of the month but upgrading the
the end of the month but upgrading the electricity grid is something that we
electricity grid is something that we
electricity grid is something that we have to do so let’s start now let’s do
have to do so let’s start now let’s do
have to do so let’s start now let’s do it right and let’s have this
it right and let’s have this
it right and let’s have this conversation what information are we
conversation what information are we
conversation what information are we prepared to share what who can turn our
prepared to share what who can turn our
prepared to share what who can turn our devices gadgets on and off under what
devices gadgets on and off under what
devices gadgets on and off under what conditions under what circumstances and
let’s listen to what other people have
let’s listen to what other people have to say let’s make our voices heard it’s
to say let’s make our voices heard it’s
to say let’s make our voices heard it’s complicated
complicated
complicated we’re going to need to pay attention but
we’re going to need to pay attention but
we’re going to need to pay attention but it’s gonna be worth it and it’s going to
it’s gonna be worth it and it’s going to
it’s gonna be worth it and it’s going to be fun watching things change and maybe
be fun watching things change and maybe
be fun watching things change and maybe we won’t be worrying as much about
we won’t be worrying as much about
we won’t be worrying as much about waking up the next day to the breakdown
waking up the next day to the breakdown
waking up the next day to the breakdown of civilization
”
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