Alternating current (AC) beat out direct current (DC) because it worked well over short distances. But direct current is significantly easier to control on a smart grid and travels better, says Herman J. Trabish.
Trabish talks with Aftab Khan, Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Grid Systems, about why DC will be a big part of the country's smart grid:
"Power on a DC line is completely controlled. If you say, 'I want to bring power from point A to point B and I want exactly this many megawatts on that line,'" Khan said, "the power goes." Theoretically, he added, AC lines can do the same. But in an AC system, "you don't have the ability to manage the power flow from point A to point B directly."
High-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines are currently in use in China, delivering hydroelectric current from remote resources.
FULL STORY: Will Solar, Wind and New Tech Pave the Way for a DC Renaissance?
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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