Keeping the Lights On

Rodney Kizito from U.S. Department of Energy discusses solar
energy, mathematics, and microgrids. When you flip a switch to turn
on a light, where does that energy come from? In a traditional
power grid, electricity is generated at large power plants and then
transmitted long distances. But now, individual homes and
businesses with solar panels can generate some or all of their own
power and even send energy into the rest of the grid. Modifying the
grid so that power can flow in both directions depends on
mathematics. With linear programming and operations research,
engineers design efficient and reliable systems that account for
constraints like the electricity demand at each location, the costs
of solar installation and distribution, and the energy produced
under different weather conditions. Similar mathematics helps
create "microgrids" — small, local systems that can operate
independent of the main grid.