Most of the world’s electricity demand is for continuous and reliable power supply, which has traditionally been provided by base-load electricity. The use of renewable energy to provide electricity is very effective even though utilizing these energy sources in a DC grid may be complicated because the demand does not correspond with the supply. Back-up storage facilities may therefore be required due to the intermittent nature of wind and solar energy. If renewable energy is linked to a DC grid, the only issue that would arise would be the backup storage capacity for a standalone energy system. According to Tagliaferro (2003), if renewable systems are distributed near the points of demand, then power transmission losses may be reduced. This energy supply may therefore be supplied over long distances along a DC grid if HVDC breakers are used. The only challenge that Edison had were the exponential losses that occurred as a result of electrical resistance in long-distance transmission. With the innovation of HVDC breakers, DC lines would be very effective at transmitting more renewable power over long distances underground. DC grid systems would therefore be very efficient for renewable energy sources like the sun because the current that comes out of a panel is actually DC. There would be no need to convert the current if Edison’s system is adopted. The new circuit breaker design for HVDC power lines will make the transmission of electricity networks from renewable energy over long distances to be more efficient and reliable ( McPherson, 2013 ). The use of these devices will therefore make it possible for DC cables to run over long distances by integrating electricity grid systems with a more efficient transmission network.
References
McPherson, S. S. (2013). War of the currents: Thomas Edison vs. Nikola Tesla . Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Group.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Tagliaferro, L. (2003). Thomas Edison: Inventor of the age of electricity . Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications Co.