À medida que a população global continua a crescer, há uma procura crescente de electricidade. No entanto, existem vários desafios que precisam ser enfrentados. Atualmente, mais de mil milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo não têm acesso às redes de energia, incluindo cerca de 200.000 pessoas no Canadá que não estão ligadas à rede elétrica norte-americana e aos sistemas de gasodutos de distribuição de gás natural.

Desastres naturais e eventos climáticos extremos também estão causando interrupções no fornecimento de energia, levando a apagões em massa que podem durar dias. Além disso, quando um componente do sistema de transmissão falha, pode afetar toda a rede, resultando em cortes generalizados de energia.

To tackle these issues, the concept of microgrids has gained popularity. A microgrid is a energy system that can operate independently or in conjunction with larger grids. It contains all the necessary components to provide electricity to a specific community, typically serving a smaller population of around a thousand or a few hundred people. This approach decentralizes the power supply generation and distribution process, making it more resilient and less prone to grid failures.

Unlike large-scale energy grids that connect buildings to central power supply sources like coal, nuclear, and gas plants, a microgrid functions as an isolated island. This independence can prove beneficial during crises such as storms or outages. Many microgrids utilize a combination of renewable energy sources and batteries, with natural gas serving as backup. While microgrid power supply is not necessarily more reliable, communities located far away from larger power sources can benefit from the localized control and ownership of electricity generation.

Um exemplo notável de microrrede é a construída em Sendai, no Japão, há mais de uma década. Esta microrrede é alimentada por uma combinação de energia solar, gás e armazenamento de bateria. Durante o devastador tsunami e terramoto de 2011, a microrrede de Sendai forneceu energia e aquecimento ao hospital universitário da Universidade Tohoku Fukushi, garantindo que serviços cruciais fossem mantidos mesmo durante apagões generalizados.

The impacts of power outages on society and the economy are significant, and the climate crisis exacerbates these challenges. Jana Ganion, energy director for Blue Lake Rancheria, an Indigenous reserve in California, emphasizes the urgent need for solutions, stating, "Widespread power outages cause a lot of social and economic damage and destruction. And the climate crisis is making all of this worse." Blue Lake Rancheria successfully launched a solar microgrid in 2015, providing electricity to thousands of people nearby when millions of Californians had their power supply shut off due to wildfire risk.

However, setting up a microgrid can be a costly endeavor, particularly in densely populated urban or suburban areas with existing infrastructure. Consumers tend to stick with what is already in place, and for the majority of Canadians, that means relying on hydroelectric power supply. Nuclear and coal plants are also significant power sources in the country. Raising the necessary capital for building power plants, whether they are traditional or microgrids, is challenging for some countries. The autonomy and self-sufficiency that microgrids offer can be especially relevant in such cases.

Existem quase 300 comunidades remotas em todo o Canadá que dependem fortemente de microrredes movidas a diesel para geração de eletricidade. Reconhecendo a necessidade de opções mais ecológicas, o governo federal canadiano tem trabalhado com entidades regionais ao longo da última década para explorar e implementar soluções energéticas mais sustentáveis. Além de fornecer eletricidade, as microrredes também poderiam desempenhar um papel crucial no acesso à água potável, alimentando o processo de tratamento.

In conclusion, the global demand for electricity continues to rise, and challenges such as lack of access to energy grids and disruptions caused by natural disasters persist. Microgrids have emerged as a promising solution, offering localized power supply generation and distribution systems that can operate both independently and in conjunction with larger grids. While establishing microgrids can be costly, they provide autonomy and resilience, especially in remote areas or during crises. Exploring greener options, such as renewable energy sources, battery storage, and natural gas backup, can make microgrids even more sustainable and beneficial for communities.

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Site de referência: https://www.cbc.ca