Energy in smart grid: Strategies and technologies for efficiency enhancement

Incorporating advanced software and hardware technologies, to create a two way electricity and information flow, is forming the concept of the smart grid (SG). In an SG the energy delivery and control not only autonomous but also efficient. Hence, intelligently-planned SG which aims to consume energy wisely will be able to gain benefits for both power grid and end-users. Thus, the end-user continuity of electricity is assured even if a power grid failure occurs. In this paper, the concept of SG energy efficiency is explored. The applied strategies and technologies for energy efficiency improvement are introduced. Also, the impact of using plug in electric vehicles (PEV), and the employment of energy storage and combined-heat-and-power (CHP) are surveyed. Moreover, the role of using power electronics and energy management in energy efficiency are discussed.