Hydrogen Smart-Grids: Smart Metering of Electricity from Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Gopalakrishnan Kumar¹, Serhan Demirci², Chiu-Yue Lin^3*

¹Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung City.
²Department of Business and Management, Feng Chia University, Taichung City.
³Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung City；Green Energy Development Center, Feng Chia University, Taichung City.

DOI: 10.4236/jsbs.2013.32022                

Abstract

In the last decade, increasing applications of information technology (IT) within power industry has become a significant reality. As distributed power networks are gaining importance and renewables are getting a bigger ratio within energy production, Smart Grid applications have become essential, especially due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy resources. Smart Grid is a sustainable energy system that measures, checks, and controls the generation, transmission, and consumption of electrical energy in grids on all voltage levels. Smart Grid experts are driving forward the development of effective communication and information technologies for the build-up of intelligent power supply networks. Examples of these are control systems for the realization of virtual power plants, intelligent consumer data acquisition systems, and smart distribution management systems. Fuel cell-based hydrogen electricity, in comparison to other renewable energy sources, is more stable and predictable. Yet hydrogen power and smart-grids have many application points, mainly as means of energy storage. This study claims that hydrogen energy and smart-grids could also engage through an appliance of IT managed metering of hydrogen power production. Smart metering and management of hydrogen fuel cells would enable advanced planning of short-to-mid-term power productions and thus foster use of hydrogen power within distributed networks, as local community or industrial applications.

Keywords

Smart Grids; Fuel Cell-Based Hydrogen Electricity; Virtual Power Plants

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Smart2020, “Enabling the Low Carbon Economy in the Information Age,” The Climate Group, 2008, p. 45.
[2]	Energy Bill, “Amendment to the Energy Act 2008 Powers to Implement and Direct the Rollout of Smart Meters,” The United Kingdom Department of Energy and Climate Change, 2010.
[3]	News Release, “Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s SmartMeter? Proposal Approved by California Public Utilities Commission,” Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 2006.
[4]	Press Release, “Oncor Reaches Another Milestone in Smart Texas Advanced Meter Deployment,” ONCOR, 2009.
[5]	Press Release, “Landis + Gyr Technology Enables Full Service Smart Grid Coverage,” Reuters, 2009