Xcel Energy's SmartGrid City Update

Xcel Energy's SmartGrid City Update

Xcel has to maintain a 15% "spinning reserve', meaning the electric power plants are required by state regulations to be "always on" to meet demand instantly if it ramps up. SmartGrid can create a more dynamic environment to potentially reduce this standing power generation need. "We want to create something that's never happened before by 'creating' energy, shipping it and you use it on demand," said Ken. "But things that seem like they should be easy in some cases are very challenging. We're working with a system designed over 100 years ago."

Ken also described the general distrust expressed when any discussion of power shaping - that is, adjusting a customer's energy use per SmartGrid information - comes up. "People think we're going to control their thermostat or peek at them through the wires or something," he said.

The delay now on SmartGrid's availability is that legally it is not clear what kind of customer permissions and liability waivers are necessary to install SmartGrid components onsite for any given customer. It isn't clear if third party technology requires different customer agreements. "We don't know exactly what we have to charge tariffs for as new technology is added to the system," said Ken. "We've continued to install all the backend equipment to get everything ready; our goal was to have this ready by summer when people really use a lot of energy. I'm not as optimistic we’ll have a robust deployment before summer."

Everything from customer recruitment (what if volunteers talking about SmartGrid have some issue with a homeowner?) to vendors installing specialized equipment monitors (What if they short out the home or break something) has led to unanswered questions. "Until everybody is comfortable with the legal issues I can"t make web portals and solutions available in-home. We have to have the right agreements in place."

As those issues are resolved Boulder's SmartGrid experience will continue to reveal the cutting edge solutions that make this energy technology the envy of the country. "The world is watching. From a year ago, we've ramped up the energy around the Smartgrid concept," Ken said proudly. "This is being discussed by the President and all over the country. We put the spotlight on what's possible here in Boulder."