When I think of smart grids, one of the first things to pop into my mind is Keanu Reeves dodging bullets in The Matrix. That was the ultimate smart grid! We’re not even close to that, but with the internet, we are becoming more and more connected. Everyday, there are new initiatives to connect us to others and to connect machines to other machines.
Recently, there has been a great deal of talk about creating a smart power delivery system. This “smart grid” will have the ability to use electricity more efficiently by bridging the gap between the devices that use electricity and the suppliers of electricity. For example, a manufacturing plant may have a process that must run once a day with no strict time of day requirements. The smart grid will allow the plant to monitor electricity prices and only activate the process when the price of electricity falls below a specified threshold.
An example more pertinent to typical consumers is to control residential appliances based on electricity demand. With a smart grid, you will be able to load the washing machine and let the grid turn it on during non-peak (lower cost) times.
In addition to providing energy savings for the end user, the power companies will benefit from devices that report energy consumption. Using this consumption information, power companies will be able to operate more efficiently by leveling grid capacity to ensure energy is available when and where it is needed.
But how do you implement a smart grid? You need two pieces, a way to communicate with locally installed equipment and a way to control that equipment. Dajac and Linxter together provide the solution.
Dajac’s Expert I/O modules are the “last mile” technology. They allow a computer to easily control electronic devices.
The remaining piece, the communications, is made effortless with Linxter’s software library. This library exposes a simple interface and takes care of the grunt work to give you a reliable and secure Ethernet communications channel across even the most unreliable links.
Over the next few weeks, Dajac and Linxter will unveil a smart grid proof of concept that will allow you to see these technologies in action and control them from anywhere in the world. Read the Linxter blog for more information about this event and keep an eye on the Dajac and Linxter web sites for the unveiling!
TIED IN KNOTS — A Must-Have Guide to Untangling USB Extension Options for PC Based Automation
Stop your USB devices from being shackled to a PC like the pretty boy on a chain gang (he can’t wait to get free!). By downloading this guide you’ll instantly grow your USB toolbox to include multiple methods of extending USB connections and put yourself head and shoulders above the competition.