In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama promised to build electric grids "that feed our commerce and bind us together." This inclusion signaled a growing understanding of the importance of energy infrastructure (the physical structures that produce, transport and deliver power) in the highest chambers of power. The importance of revitalizing our national infrastructure, however, may still be lost on many people who don't necessarily equate the word "infrastructure" with daily activities. The reliability and sustainability of our power supply, however, are two concerns that all Tufts students should share and it is the theme of this year's Tufts Energy Conference, sponsored by the Tufts Energy Forum.
If any readers should doubt this assertion, I urge them to think back five summers ago, to the sweltering August of 2003. Those living in parts of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Vermont, Connecticut or Ontario at this period of time surely remember that on the afternoon of Aug. 14, the lights suddenly went out, along with televisions and computers. Riders on the New York City subway system were forced to exit their cars and walk to the nearest subway platform and, from there, either take a bus in heavy traffic or walk miles to get home. Many were stranded for the night. Cell phone calls were nearly impossible to make, as the spike in volume of calls overwhelmed transmission towers. Essentially, cities and communities in the Northeast and Canada were shut down. By that point, it was doubtful that those affected took power supply for granted.
When we talk of reliable energy infrastructure and a dependable grid, we are referring to systems in which a blackout of this magnitude would never pass. What transpired on Aug. 14 was no terrorist attack or natural phenomenon, but a routine problem that spiraled out of hand due to an aging and inadequately maintained grid system. The failure of an Ohio utility to trim trees in its service area led its power transmission to go offline before the Aug. 14 blackout, as the circuits in its transmission were shorted by the interfering tree. Since its computerized alarm system was laden with errors, alerts to other utilities and system operators did not go out. The month of August is generally a time of high power demand -- people need air conditioning or fans to cool their offices and homes -- so other power generators were overburdened with the large excess demand, leading to a systemic failure. Though this specific blackout may have been avoided by a better computer system, the cascading effect caused by one power generator going offline is certainly something that we should react to with alarm. Our national infrastructure should not be so fickle.
Additionally, if we are serious about the stewardship of our planet, then a well-functioning and flexible energy infrastructure is essential. The source of our power is the driving issue of the renewable energy movement and is a question inextricably linked to the improvement of our infrastructure. For example, if there is ample wind in North Dakota but few people demanding it there, how do we transport that generated power to a more populated location like Chicago? What use is solar power generated in the sun-soaked deserts of Nevada if there is no way to get that power to Southwestern cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas? In essence, the importance of energy infrastructure to our transition away from a fossil-fuel based economy lies in its capacity to make our transition more a reality and less an idea.
I do not wish to sound too pessimistic. The past few years have seen a surge in solutions to help prevent another blackout and make our system more sustainable. For example, smart grid technologies have emerged as feasible solutions to our national energy concerns. Among other things, smart grid technologies seek to reduce demand for energy during peak hours (times when demand is particularly high), store excess energy produced during non-peak hours, and connect smaller energy sources to the grid. Policies to encourage less consumption during peak demand times have become increasingly popular. Many state and local governments have rewarded consumption of green power over traditional, fossil fuel-based sources. Hopefully, the Obama Administration will follow through on its promises and get the federal government involved in this movement.
The Tufts Energy Forum's 4th Annual Tufts Energy Conference will take place Saturday, March 28, and will highlight the aforementioned changes that engineers, investors, policymakers and nonprofits have enacted in both national and international power systems, as well as the challenges that still need to be overcome. It is crucial that the future innovators of America understand the critical importance of energy infrastructure, and I strongly believe that this conference will serve as a fine introduction to the subject. Anyone who is interested in energy and environmental matters should attend. For those interested, please visit the conference website at www.tuftsenergyconference.org and register for what will be a unique and exciting event.
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