SmartGridCity: Developing the Smart Grid of the Future

1
SmartGridCity Developing the Smart Grid of the
Future

• Craig Eicher
• Area Manager, Boulder Region
• Community Local Government Affairs

2
SmartGridCity The Vision

• Create a catalytic event Test much more than
  smart meters
• Leverage public and private sector
  partnerships/research and development
• Dont choose a technology winner in advance.
  Deploy multiple technologies, rate structures,
  in-home devices, etc.
• Test multiple benefit hypotheses dont
  predetermine outcomes
• Establish an on-going testing and validation
  environment that will serve as a continuous Smart
  Grid innovation center
• Develop an international showcase of smart grid
  possibilities a comprehensive demonstration of
  an intelligent grid

3
Boulders Key Strengths

• Ideal size (50,000 customers)
• Ideal geographic location (easy access to needed
  grid components)
• Ideal smart grid customers
• Web-savvy, early adopters
• Environmentally aware
• Willingness to accept some short-term
  inconvenience for a good cause
• Collaborative opportunities with
• University of Colorado
• NCAR/UCAR
• NIST
• NREL
• City, county and federal leaders leaders

4
Project Status

• Groundbreaking April 2008
• Seven key investing partners
• Substation, Distribution Communication system
  nearly complete
• More than 200 miles of fiber-optic communications
  installed
• 15,069 two-way meters installed (25,000 total
  planned)
• Monitoring 3,984 transformers, 5,686 other grid
  devices
• 40,500 premises BPL-enabled
• Home Energy Manager Web portal in testing
• In-home devices in testing
• Benchmarking throughout 2009 and into 2010
• New pilot pricing tariffs under development

5
Your Utility And The New Energy Landscape

• Utility will maintain traditional role
• Deliver reliable power that is reasonably priced
• Will transform its business to meet climate
  challenge
• Rely increasingly on new, clean technologies
• Value and minimize emissions
• Will take on a new character
• Efficient and flexible
• More customer choice and involvement
• Manage more intermittent energy resources
• Centrally located renewables
• Distributed, site-located renewables
• Current grid is not up to this challenge
• Need a Smarter Grid

6
Change Is Coming

• Fulfilling traditional role is challenging
• More investment in aging electric infrastructure
• Increased needs and exponentially growing demand
• Environmental concerns for both the industry and
  customers
• Political leadership pushing for change
• President Obama Federal Stimulus Bill, carbon
  regulation
• Governor Ritters New Energy Economy

7
Colorados Energy Needs
Up 32

• In the last decade

Up 14
Up 7
Number of Customers
Electric Use per Customer
Peak Demand
8
Edisons Grid Today
Generating Plant
Transmission Line

• Simple concept
• Robust Effective
• Complex in execution
• Thousands of power plants
• Web of regional transmission lines
• More complex web of local distribution lines

Substation
Distribution System
End User
9
Smart Grid A Digital, Information-Age Grid

• Basic structure
• Edisons Grid is the backbone
• Applies information technology available today
• Much more information and control
• Power of information
• More precise system design and greater
  operational performance
• Improved reliability
• Ability to meet customer needs and wants
• More products and services
• Reduced emissions and environmental impact

10
Smart Grid Components
Generating Plant
Transmission Line
Substation
Distribution System
End User
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The Smart Home
Added green power sources
High-speed, networked connections
Plug-in hybrid electric cars
Customer interaction with utility
Real-time and green pricing signals
Smart thermostats, appliances and in-home
control devices
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Smart Grid Web Portal

• Allows customer to monitor and manage their
  energy use
• Online tools provide more options, choice and
  personal control

13

Smart Grid Benefits

• Customer-Enabled Management
• Automatic control of electronic devices
• Real-time pricing
• New services and products
• Enable customer choice

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SmartGridCity And The Future

• SmartGridCity will test what an integrated smart
  grid can deliver
• Needed New regulatory construct
• Future is unknown
• Information unleashes power of innovation
• Transforms utility in ways we cannot imagine
• Stronger energy system
• More choice and opportunity
• Customers
• Shareholders
• Employees

15
Xcel Energys Environmental Commitment

• Nations 1 provider of wind power
• Nations 5 provider of solar power
• 10 percent sales from renewable energy (already
  A37-compliant)
• 20 percent sales from renewables by 2015
• Tripling wind capacity on system by 2015
• Adding up to 400 MW of solar including CSP with
  thermal storage
• Retiring two less-efficient coal plants
• Carbon / GHG accounting standards - under
  development
• CO2 database project more accurate measurement
  of emissions footprint
• Studies of carbon capture at existing plants
• Ash sales landfill reductions
• Installing high efficiency transformers,
  non-polluting mineral oil
• Hybrid fleet vehicles bucket trucks
• Carbon legislation proposals federal and state
• Dow Jones Sustainability Index third year listed

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Xcel Energy Investments in Innovation

• Wind2H2
• Wind2Battery
• PHEV
• SolarTac
• Innovative Clean Tech Prog.
• Methane cogen from sugar beets
• Biomass to Biogass
• Duel fuel hybrid generation
• Thin-film PV
• Carbon emissions capture with rapid growth algae
• Working for national renewable standards and fair
  carbon legislation

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Energy Efficiency

• In 2008, spent 22.1 million on residential and
  commercial energy efficiency programs
• Saved 40 MW and 151, 789 MWh of electric
  generation
• Launched 29 new or improved energy-efficiency
  programs in 2009
• Between 2009 and 2020, annual electricity savings
  goal is 422 GWh per year
• Since 1992, conservation has prevented 11 new
  plants from being built
• Goal Avoid building 22 plants by 2020

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• xcelenergy.com/smartgridcity
• Craig Eicher
• craig.l.eicher_at_xcelenergy.com