Better power grid synchronization may enable smart grids to self-recover from failures
Friday, February 22, 2013 - 10:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—Although the LHC has often been called the largest machine in the world, that title may be more appropriately given to something much more familiar: power grids. Consisting of thousands of generators and substations linked across thousands of miles, these networks form the backbone of society in developed countries. Yet most of the grids that power our modern economy are based on technology from the 1960s, even though power demands have changed dramatically since then. As a result of the additional strain, power grids have been failing more often, causing billions of dollars in business losses.