The Smart Grid is good for the environment, good for business, good for the bottom line. Sounds great but what does that really mean to your business? We’ll take a look at the Smart Grid in terms of the costs, advantages and steps required to deploy Smart Grid strategies for small to medium sized businesses. Created for MNREM (Minneosta Renewable Energy Marketplace) for Blandin Foundation-led, ARRA supported MIRC (Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities) project

1. The Intro What is the Smart Grid? What are the benefits? How can you take advantage?

2. Intro to Smart Gridfor Businesses Ann Treacy broadband.mnrem.com

3. What is the Smart Grid? Two-way communication along the electricity supply-use chain opens the door to better automation, interoperability, management at all levels (end userand utility) Smart Transport Smart Meters Smart Appliances

4. What the Smart Grid Isn’t… Half of the energy in the US is lost in the way we produce, transmit and use electricity Outages cost $150 billion a year The system today was built for peak consumption of yesterday The Smart Grid allows for more fluidity

6. What are the benefits? You will have access to your smart meter stats in real time and over time. Interoperability of power generation means you can mix and match your power generation sources A self-healing, redundant system means greater stability for your electricity Storage cells and improved transmission means you can get/give power over greater distances

7. How can you take advantage of the Smart Grid? Understand your current situation Use info to find potential for cost saving Prepare your office/floor/systems for the smart grid Investigate options to take it further

8. Understand your Energy Bill A kWh (kilowatt-hour) is a measure of production: capacity x time. A 1,000 watt window unit air conditioner turned on for 1 hour uses 1 kWh (1,000 watts x1 hour)

9. Understand your Energy Bill Delivery fees cover the utility’s maintenance costs of lines and meters and administration. There may be an algorithm used to set these rates

10. Algorithm for Fees Delivery fee may be based on actual use and peak use Delivery fee may be tiered based on actual use Delivery fee may be based on time/day of use You will need to talk to your Utility company to get the specifics – but this is where knowledge is power!

11. Understand your Energy Bill Generation chargesreflect the cost to the utility of either generating or acquiring the electricity it delivers to you. The national average of $0.113/kWh.

12. Average Retail Price of Electricity Statistics from February 2011

13. Understand your Energy Bill Average Daily Use can fluctuate month to month. Bear this in mind when making decisions.

14. Smart Grid Mentality in Practice Customer-monitoring changes $3 Car Wash was able to reduce electricity bills by 20% by reducing electric demand (aka peak usage). The Smart Grid takes it one step further

15. Create Efficiencies Spread out turning on equipment Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) Use LEDs Use a Compacitor (Reduces spiked usage) Viable Frequencies Drives (VFDs) allow motors to ramp up to start, stop when you want and reduce spike usage

16. Understand Your Usage The Smart Meters will allow you to see in real time and over time what your usage is

17. Contact Your Utility Company Get an energy audit Ask about their Smart Grid offerings/plans Ask how your energy bill is determined Talk about possible savings by reducing peak usage or altering time of use Ask about how to gain more info into your own usage

18. Contact Your Utility Company Xcel http://tinyurl.com/3e9yz7p Great River Energy http://tinyurl.com/3ljlg3q Southern MN Municipal Power Agency http://tinyurl.com/3ozoej7 MN Power http://tinyurl.com/3c4kptg

19. Prepare your Office/Floor/System As you upgrade, consider smart appliance and smart applications Remote access and monitoring may allow you to balance your energy workload Automated responders may decreased “up time” Talk to equipment, machinery, ERP providers about smart appliances Talk to your electrician

20. Prepare your Office/Floor/System Talk to utility providers about smart appliances Some may provide rebates for energy efficient machinery The providers are motivated to work with you to minimize their peak usage times Talk to Energy Star http://tinyurl.com/3sqz5ja

21. Side Note: US Policy The ARRA allotted $4.5 billion for increased energy efficiency Those projects may be publishing results and unveiling products soon The federal government continues to list energy efficiency and dependence as a priority. There may be more funding in the future Get more info on incentives http://tinyurl.com/4xgtly6

22. Going Green Consider your energy consumption Does it make sense to deploy renewable energy generating solutions Recognize that the smart grid makes it easier and more beneficial to go green.

23. Going green for the environment Miller’s Modern Garage in Mankato The 10.34kW solar electric system produces about 12,500kWh of electricity on average per year. Producing 12,500kWh of electricity annually from coal emits about 25,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Preventing this much carbon dioxide from being released to the atmosphere is equivalent to adding 1,250 trees to our forests. Over a 30-year span, IPS expects this system will offset 750,000 pounds or 375 tons of carbon dioxide.

24. Solar Power for Economics Generates clean energy from its new 124kW solar electric system. System will pay for itself in 6 years

25. Get more info http://mnrenewables.org/ http://www.cleanenergyminnesota.org/ http://www.renewable.state.mn.us/

26. Questions? If you have an interest in further training on in your area, please let us know. Session will be posted online: http://www.mnrem.com/blog/