If peak energy demand is exceeded, networks fail and it takes hours to reset. The biggest risk is ‘TV Pickup.’ For years you’ve assumed, the biggest culprit was people making a cuppa during the adverts! The truth is that people opening their fridges for beers during sporting events causes the biggest problem. The fridge’s compressor takes over twenty minutes to cool the air back down. The biggest peak (17.5 million), was reached at the 1990 World Cup when England lost to Germany. Bear that in mind as you stock up ahead of this year’s matches. In time integration of new smart grid technologies such as energy storage and demand side response initiatives could change all that.
