We consume electricity in real-time. And the demand and supply changes every second. The operators at the power station constantly adjust the generation of electricity based on grid's current requirement.
This is more complex than most people imagine.
Producing electricity means balancing the voltage, current and frequency. Any slight changes could be catastrophic and could cause blackouts or instrument failures.
I always thought that once the power station is built then electricity is produced and distributed but it turns out to be more complex and with renewable energy it is getting even more complex.
The constant need for adjustment surprised me. In addition, the power grid has to work on 50 Hertz (or 60 Hertz in US/Canada) capacity otherwise things will start to break. This frequency is naturally produced by the turbines. All electricity except Solar uses turbines. Frequency itself becomes a “health indicator” of the grid. And Even 49.5 Hz or 50.5 Hz can become dangerous.
Due to these the emergence of smart grid became a necessity. And that is what most power company try to improve. Producing electricity is simple but managing the supply and demand is the most challenging part.
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