by Suzanne F. Smith
Smart Power Gets Smarter ENERGY. THE WORLD TURNS ON IT. Finding energy
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solutions that are clean, reliable and affordable — and that can meet escalating demands — is essential to keeping today’s fast-paced world powered up. One promising solution is the development of the smart grid. The smart grid incorporates power from distributed and renewable energy sources and relies on advanced digital technology to operate, measure and deliver electricity. The result? Cleaner energy, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, a reduction in power outages and lower operating costs. Michael Sexton ’83, co-principal of GridView Optical Solutions, LLC, and his colleagues at Micatu Inc. are looking to improve smart grid performance and energy delivery by making smart grid technology even smarter. “Today’s smart grid must incorporate new technologies that can detect, collect and deliver the data necessary to predict and manage energy flow and voltage fluctuations — challenges that increase with the introduction of energy from renewable sources, like wind,” says Sexton. One way to collect and monitor that data is through a sensor network. Sensors enable the remote monitoring of
equipment, such as transformers and power lines, as well as weather conditions and temperatures that can affect energy delivery and efficiency. “We’ve developed an innovative optical-based sensor technology system that uses light to measure and monitor vibration and current along the power grid with remarkable accuracy,” he says. “Our system will dramatically improve the efficiency of power delivery and result in tremendous energy savings.” Others in the energy field agree. “Micatu-GridView is one of the hottest smart grid companies in New York,” says Dave Crudele ’00, MS ’02, a project manager with NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) who has been working with Sexton and the company for the last couple of years. Modernizing the Electrical Grid Like much of the country, New York is working to rehabilitate its state-wide power delivery system by overhauling an outdated infrastructure of aging substations and distribution lines. Building a smart grid that incorporates renewable energy is also a critical component of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy. More data and computer-based decision-making allows the grid to be operated more efficiently and with cleaner resources. “The goal,” says Crudele, who works with NYSERDA’s smart grid team, “is to develop a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.”
