Smart Grid City:

Smart Grid City:

A blueprint for a connected,

intelligent grid community

2

The grid today


Utilities committed to proving safe, reliable
power.


Must provide quality service with an aging
infrastructure


Supplying energy in a carbon constrained world



Working with non
-
integrated systems and
processes


Smart technologies can provide solutions to
modern grid challenges.








3

“Analog” Grid


Centuries
-
old design

4

“Smart” Grid


Digital intelligence infused
throughout the grid


Energy storage
devices



Local power
generation



Digital sensors and
controls



Real
-
time data



Real
-
time price signals



Broadband
communications



Smart Homes



Smart Buildings



Electric transportation



5

Drivers for change


Grid reliability


Aging assets, heightened load



Environment:


Global climate concerns


State mandates for green power



Energy Security:


Homeland security


Dependence on foreign oil



Customer Choices:


Growing needs and expectations


Desire for greater flexibility and options



6

The grid of tomorrow


Over the next 10 to 20 years, our industry can evolve more
rapidly than ever before.



It’s more than just smart meters!

DISTRIBUTED
RESOURCES

POWER GRID
MANAGEMENT

CUSTOMER POWER
MANAGEMENT


Distributed generation
interconnection


Solar


Wind


Fuel cells


Batteries




Energy storage


Real
-
time monitoring



Transmission/ distribution
automation



Demand response
(adjusting to grid conditions)



Broadband over power lines
(BPL)


Smart meters



Smart buildings &
equipment



Smart appliances



Plug
-
in hybrid electric
vehicles (PHEVs)



Voltage regulation/ Pre
-
set
energy use


7

Moving beyond the traditional…

The Smart Grid will:


Be more
reliable
.


Be
self
-
healing
and
self
-
monitoring
.


Be more
secure
.


Be
cleaner

and
greener
.


Support widespread
distributed generation
.


Help customers better
control energy use

in
their homes and businesses.


Achieve lower throughput, thus
lowering prices.


Xcel Energy is setting a Smart Grid benchmark
among North American utilities.

8

Xcel Energy’s strategy


Smart Grid is an end
-
to
-
end solution


Aligned with environmental goals


Consumer
-
focused approach


Service
-
based business model


Joint R&D partner investments


Smart Grid Consortium
formed in 2007

9


Accenture:
IT and business modeling



Current Group:
High
-
speed communications



Schweitzer Engineering Labs:
Substation technology



Ventyx:
Workflow management software



Xcel Energy


imagine. inspire. innovate.

10

Smart Grid City
-

Boulder, Colo.


“
An international showcase of smart grid
possibilities… a comprehensive
demonstration of an intelligent grid
community”


Test technology


Integrate smart grid
portfolio of projects


Prove benefits

11

Smart Grid City


Involves the entire energy pathway from the power source to the home
and all points in between


Rich in IT


High
-
speed, real
-
time, two
-
way communications


Sensors enabling rapid diagnosis and corrections


Dispatched distributed generation (PHEVs, wind, solar)


Energy storage


In
-
home energy controls


Automated home energy use





12

Boulder’s Key Strengths


Ideal size (50,000 customers/meters)



Ideal geographic location (easy access to needed
grid components)



Ideal Smart Grid consumers:


Web
-
savvy, early adopters


Environmentally aware



Collaborative opportunities with:


University of Colorado


National Center for Atmospheric Research


National Institute of Standards and Technology


City leaders






13

Smart Grid City projects


Power Production


Energy storage


Distributed generation



Utility Operations


Smart Outage Management


Smart Distribution Assets


Smart Substations



Consumer


Smart House


Plug
-
in Hybrid Electric
Vehicles







14

Smart Grid City projects






15

Energy Storage

Scenario:


Wind energy is stored in a
battery for use when needed.




Consumers can use wind power when they
want
—
not just when the wind is blowing.


Energy storage devices can be tapped
whenever demand is high.

16

Smart Substation

Scenario:


Digital intelligence gives substation
operators remote control of facilities
.



Allows faster adjustments to conditions


Prevents blackouts, makes for faster
recovery


More flexibility to re
-
route power


Monitors help keep facilities and sites
secure

17

Smart Distribution Assets

Scenario:


A smart meter detects an isolated outage in
a residential neighborhood.



The utility pings the meter and is able to
send the right crew, with the right tools, to
the right location to turn power back on
quickly, OR


Can remotely re
-
connect power


Faster restoration time and fewer outage
minutes

18

Smart Outage Management

Scenario:


A customer’s power goes out at their
home; but they don’t need to call the utility.
Its already located the cause of the outage.



Sensors & monitors embedded throughout
the grid detect abnormalities/disruptions


Real
-
time data leads to rapid diagnosis and
correction

19

Smart House

Scenario:


Home appliances contain onboard
intelligence that receives signals from Xcel
Energy and can reduce demand when the
grid is under stress.



Consumers automatically pre
-
program
appliances to turn on when prices are
lower.


Creates options for managing bills and
energy consumption habits


20

Smart House

Plug
-
in hybrid
electric cars

Added green
power sources

Smart thermostats,
appliances and in
-
home
control devices

Real
-
time and green
pricing Signals

High
-
speed,
networked
connections

Customer interaction
with utility

21

Plug
-
in Hybrid EVs (PHEV)

Scenario
:


A PHEV is capable of both charging from
and

discharging power to the grid.



Utilities may pay consumers to “borrow”
PHEV energy storage in times of need


PHEVs can also serve as back
-
up
generation for homeowners


Utilities can offer incentives to motivate
charging strategies with environmental
benefits

22


The Smart Grid offers multiple benefits for
consumers, environmentalists, and the
energy industry as a whole…

23

Smart Grid Benefits

24

Investment


Approximately $60 to $100 million



Cost is offset by joint funding from
partners and contributions of:


Utility hardware


IT hardware


Software


Labor resources

25

Timeline

26

In Conclusion


It won’t happen all at once:


Smart Grid will be an evolution with long
-
term
implications.



Next steps: collaborate with customers,
shareholders and regulators to put scope and final
designs in place.



Start up costs involved; but savings expected in
the long run.



Solid focus will remain on customer choice.