Electricity cannot be efficiently stored. Power lines and transformers have limited capacity to carry power. Equipment on the grid can fail unexpectedly. Power generation is not scheduled accurately. Power use is not accurately anticipated. Electricity supply and demand must be balanced at all times.
Power lines get congested when nearing thermal limits, which means that power to serve some location must be sourced from more distant or expensive generators. Sourcing power from alternative sources to meet the unexpected demand is expensive and can be operationally risky. Tapping into environmentally unfriendly sources leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions and pollution […]
Increased reliability of the grid by helping create a better plan for one of the most complex systems ever created. Decreased greenhouse gas emissions and harmful pollution. Reduced waste and improved economic efficiency leading to lower electricity rates for those most in need.