How AI can help make Smart Grids System More Energy Efficient

Making Smart Cities more Energy Efficient

Smart grids are an integral part of smart cities around the world, and in every smart city project it is used for efficient, cost-effective, and clean alternative to traditional energy grids used for power distribution. In this article, we’ll take you through some of the most recent advances of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve smart grid systems around the world and how it has made a huge impact on overall sustainability goals for energy conservation and climate action.

In the end, we would go through some of the major limitations of AI in smart cities that need further improvements. Let’s dive straight into the list of AI tools and techniques that can make smart grids perform better.

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The integration of ML and Advanced Data analytics

Smart grids use complex machine learning algorithms and advanced data analytics enabled by AI to determine city-wide energy demand and adjust supply accordingly, helping avoid energy wastage and ensuring efficient management of the grid system. Recent studies for in smart grids suggest an improved predictive accuracy and time-efficient energy management when replaced with traditional grid system. This became only possible with the integration of AI in the system.

Decentralization and Sustainability of Energy for Smart Grids

Smart grid system depends upon decentralized and sustainable energy sources such as solar panels or microgrids to reduce climatic impact and transmission losses. A paper published in 2024 highlighted reduction in energy losses by 15% in a pilot smart city project in Germany after installing decentralized microgrids powered by solar PV.

Using blockchain technology in smart grids a secure and transparent management of decentralized energy can be maintained between both consumers and producers.

Implementation of Demand Response Programs

It’s not just integrating AI within smart grids, to individually control safe energy consumption we can also establish pragmatic demand response programs just like the one recently used in UK government trial. People can take part in energy consumption by choosing their usage from Energy Saver Apps. These devices can help people become more aware and give them ample demand flexibility.

Machine Learning for Real-time Fault Detection

AI can also enable smart real-time fault detection within smart grid system through machine learning diagnostic solutions or developing a mathematical model to warrant real-time automated responses to fault detection. A good example was observed in Dubai’s smart grid integrated AI-driven monitoring system in 2024 where the outage response time was improved by 30% using AI, marking another successful implementation in smart city projects.

Smart Meters for Smarter Grid Systems

Smart meters are devices that help consumers track their energy consumption in real-time as they make informed decisions on how to manage their bills and reduce usage during peak hours. In smart cities, smart meters are installed along with the smart grids to increase consumer awareness and responsiveness in real-time.

Installation of V2G technology with Electric Vehicles

Most smart cities projects demand electric vehicles (EVs) instead of normal patrol dependent vehicles, while ensuring SDGs for sustainable cities. These EVs can feed their unused power back to the grid to generate more clean energy using Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology. This experiment was observed in 2024 in China where V2G was connected with 1200 EV charging stations. Excess solar energy absorbed by these stations were directed back to the grid helping the grid meeting energy demands.

Smart Grid-powered streetlight system for Traffic and Pedestrians

Saving energy from domestic and industrial units is one thing, but when you really want to make a difference, you go for a bigger project. EVs does make a lot of difference, but if we install streetlights that can follow its daily custom-made schedule to adjust peak-hour consumption and traffic or pedestrian’s demands can optimize better energy resource allocation.

In London, 50,000 streetlights were upgraded to AI-coordinated smart lighting network, which practically saw 40% reduction in electricity consumption.

IoT sensors and detection equipment

Failure detection is of prime importance if incurred in smart grids. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and other AI fault detection tools can predict these faults in early stages, thereby reducing its long-term impact. This has been actively experimented by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) since 2024 by trailing AI and big data analytics to enhance predictive maintenance of their infrastructure thus reducing potential issues that could lead to failure.

Way Forward

Smart Grids are a component of smart cities, and as smart cities become even more smarter, the grids would require consistent upgradation to cater energy demands of modern society. It’s microlevel of control directly into the user’s hand is what makes it vastly superior to traditional grid system. Nevertheless, it must be realized that the field of artificial intelligence and smart cities is in continuous experimentation to reach a finalized and the most efficient and cost-effective solution possible for every society.

Limitations are as much of a threat as its benefits, including

1. Colossal initial investment for smart cities rendering the facilities unavailable for under-developed countries.
2. Ethical issues surrounding AI, including transparency crises and cybersecurity threats involved.
3.  Threat of potential human bias that can make AI culturally, ethnically, and racially discriminate if fallen into the wrong hands.

Keeping in mind these setbacks, it must be realized that the potential of AI and smart grids can definitely improve our lifestyle and make current climatic effect stable and sustainable than before. As such, scientists and experts are constantly looking for ways to bring something better on the table.

What do you think about AI implementation in smart grid technology? Share your thoughts in the comment section and if you like to read more on AI, you can give IntelligensiaGuild a follow.