Smart Electric Grid Concept Predicated On Two-Way Flow Of Energy, Information.
According to Popular Science (2/9), "America's electricity grid is built upon what many consider to be an antiquated principle: Make large amounts of electricity and have it always available to end users whether they need it or not. It's much like the way most home water heaters keep water constantly hot even when it is not being used. It is also a strictly one-way relationship, with utilities supplying power to end users, but not vice-versa." On the other hand, "the smart grid concept is predicated on a two-way flow of energy -- and information -- between electricity generators and end users. The system not only delivers power to end users as needed, depending on demand; it also gathers power from end users that produce their own -- homes and businesses that generate solar, wind or geothermal power themselves -- when they have more than they need."
UK, UAE To Deploy Personal Rapid Transit.
Technology Review (2/9, Bullis) reported that the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, "a novel kind of transit system in which cars are replaced by a network of automated electric vehicles, is about to get its first large-scale testing and deployment. Two [such systems] are being installed this year, one at Heathrow International Airport, near London, and one in the United Arab Emirates, where it will be the primary source of transportation in Masdar City." The article described the systems, which "are supposed to combine the convenience and privacy of automobiles with the environmental benefits of mass transit," and in some ways resemble "taxis waiting at taxi stands." The two new systems will feature "battery-powered, driverless cars," and the system at Heathrow will use "a concrete track and...laser range finders" to operate. Technology Review noted, "The system is being used now to control vehicles that transport cargo in warehouses."
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