Embedded Computing Enables Smart Grid Technology

Embedded Computing Enables Smart Grid Technology

America's electric grid has been in constant development since the late 1800s, fueled in large part by Thomas Edison's invention of a commercially viable light bulb and Nikola Tesla's patents in the area of alternating current power generation. More than a century later, today's continental grid consists of nearly 200,000 miles of transmission lines and is managed by some 500 companies.

The beauty of the grid is that power can be bought and sold across vast expanses, allowing for a more balanced supply and demand equation. Minor transmission failures in one section of the grid can also be compensated for by using electricity generated elsewhere. But the downside to such a grid is that a serious problem in one location can result in cascading failures and power outages over a wider area.

Due to an expanding population, higher fuel costs and pollution related issues, there has been a recent push to develop an electrical grid that is more efficient, cost effective and robust. To a large degree, the idea of creating a Smart Grid is based on the use of embedded computers to monitor energy generation, transmission, distribution and usage. While past issues centered on traditional sources of power, based on gas, oil, coal and nuclear fuels, the grid has become far more complex with the introduction of wind, solar, biomass and geothermal generation facilities.

Embedded computers, deployed at various points from power generation to end user consumption, are designed to save energy, reduce operating costs, and increase both reliability and redundancy across the grid infrastructure. By monitoring and reporting vital health and usage statistics, system engineers can better manage loads and power distribution, as well as a new generation of storage facilities designed to deal with the uneven power levels generated by wind turbines and solar arrays.

These embedded computing platforms can be built today using a combination of hardware, such as the JXM7031, WTM7026 and NTM6900 embedded motherboards, and Intel software solutions. These motherboards are designed with embedded Intel processors and other extended life components to ensure industrial computer stability and availability for critical deployments that may exceed seven years.

The WTM7026 is designed to take full advantage of Intel's vPro Technology, including Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT) which provides out-of-band system access irrespective of the device state and allows for remote system isolation and recovery in the event of an operating system failure. In addition, Intel Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) is a set of hardware extensions designed to improve security and protect the integrity of data moving through an embedded system, while hardware-assisted Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) provides increased flexibility and enhanced system utilization by creating multiple Virtual Machines (VMs).

So what's the net effect of creating a smarter grid? According to the US Department of Energy we can save between 46 and 117 billion dollars over the next 20 years, and that's in addition to reducing air pollution and our dependence on imported oil.

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