Exploring the technologies behind a more dependable energy system

Solar, wind and hydropower use different natural resources, with different patterns of output and different requirements at each location. Storage and network controls help address the separate challenge of matching available electricity with demand.

Oil and gas infrastructure remains part of the wider energy discussion because established equipment and supply systems cannot be understood in isolation. Changes to their operation need to be considered alongside demand and the alternatives available to users.

A new storage design or a smarter meter can attract attention for very different reasons. The useful questions concern what changed, how the result was measured and whether the improvement can be reproduced outside a demonstration.

A solar farm illustrates the relationship between a local resource and electricity delivery, while a microgrid brings local generation and demand into closer coordination. Storage within either system needs to suit the duration and pattern of the demand it serves.

A solar panel, a battery and an electricity network solve different parts of the same problem. Power must be generated and delivered at the time it is needed, within the limits of the equipment available.