Smartcity Malaga with Smart Grids measures the sustainable future or NOT.
The report has just been presented "Smartcity Málaga: A sustainable energy management model for the cities of the future" protected by Endesa which details the actions carried out in a specific area of Malaga applying the concept Smart Grids (Improvement and optimization of the electrical system as a whole) framed within the Smartcity since its inception in 2009 as a test bed for the introduction of Smart Grid technologies in our medium and low voltage networks.
The implementation of this model in an area that covers 4 km2 assumes the modernization of the electrical distribution network in the area of implementation, providing it with infrastructures that improve its operation and, at the same time, allow to expand the range of network functionalities . The deployment of communications, systems, sensors, etc., leaving the door open to future new Smart Grids applications.
Three main objectives to be achieved at Smartcity Málaga:
- Increase the consumption of renewable energies.
- Reduce CO2 emissions
- Increase energy efficiency.
As indicated in the report based on the graphs:
Increase the consumption of renewable energies:
The following graph (fig. 92) shows the temporal evolution of the increase in the use of renewable energies, in the period of time between October 2012 and January 2013, through the representation of the daily and monthly calculation values , that is, the average value in the last 24 hours or 30 days, respectively. This graph shows how, despite the fluctuation in daily values mainly due to the arbitrariness and variability of renewable energy sources, the average monthly value of the objective is close to 15% in the use of generation from renewable energy sources.
Reduce CO2 emissions:
The goal of saving CO2 emissions in the project is 20% of annual consumption, which translates into around 6,000 tons of CO2 per year.
This reduction in co2 emissions comes mainly from the savings achieved in consumption in public lighting, and in customers with high contracted power, the residential segment and SMEs, as well as the decrease in technical energy losses, through the use of electric vehicles, and the generation of renewable medium and low voltage in the area.
Increase energy efficiency.
In this case, the monthly value is above 25%. This improvement in energy efficiency is based on:
- the efficiency of the distribution system, which experiences a decrease in energy demand at the global level of the area thanks mainly to the high availability and capacity of the cogeneration plant, a flattening in the general demand curve, and a decrease in technical losses at all levels tensile.
- efficiency in energy consumption, which includes all those local actions carried out in the project: decrease in the consumption dedicated to public lighting, reduction in the consumption of clients with high contracted power, the residential segment and SMEs - although each one with its particularities, increase in the availability of renewable energy through storage systems and coverage of the electric vehicle with V2g technology, and greater efficiency of the data processing systems used in the project.
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I have to comment that the report accurately details all the technologies used and that it is of great interest considering what comes to us in the future. In short, Malaga has become a necessary testing center to be able to advance and learn about the electrical system in terms of technology.
What did not convince me about the report are the graphs that possibly represent the most important points for the consumer, they are aborted in a generic way including data on them in equally generic format without clearly glimpsing in the graph obvious data and according to the objectives to fulfill.
On the other hand, we can check in the Report (Page 5) and I quote verbatim:
… ”Smartcity Málaga represents a world milestone in the development of a new paradigm of electricity management, with brilliant results: energy consumption has been reduced by approximately 20%”…
If we go to pages 130 and 131:
… ”42% of the participants have obtained a significant reduction in their consumption of more than 10%, while 33% of the participants maintain their previous consumption level, with variations of around + 10% and -10%. The remaining 25%, on the contrary, have increased their consumption by more than 10%. However, it is not easy to ensure in a study of this nature that the changes observed in the consumption pattern are motivated exclusively by the installation of these energy efficiency devices, since these may also be due to external causes such as the current economic situation. , the replacement of old electrical appliances by new more efficient equipment or the change of use of the house "
I get the feeling - in my opinion - that the data contradicts a bit and that obviously 25% of the resulting users end up consuming more, it is not to be appreciated. We know that technologies will play an important role for energy purposes but I believe that we still have to advance a lot to be able to "feel" coherent and satisfactory results for the majority of consumers, who are normally the most affected.
Let's also remember the post we made in its daySmartcity: Advantages and Disadvantages… HERE
Note: The images used in this post are taken from the report "Smartcity Malaga: A sustainable energy management model for the cities of the future".
