The simplest way to understand Smart Grid

Smart Grid..... Smart Grid.....Smart Grid is the buzz word that we hear too often today. Even though there are numerous articles that explain "What Smart Grid is ", with overlapping of so many technologies, business, and domains, it is hard for a laymen to understand what exactly it means. This video developed by ConEd provides Smart Grid understanding that any laymen can understand.

Smart Grid - Innovating the Future : An interesting discussion at GridWise Global Forum

An Interesting discussion about how Smart Grid is going to play in innovating the future. Industry leaders and venture capitalist exchange their ideas at GridWise Global forum.

 Part - 1


Part -2 




Part -3

GridWeek 2010 : The Mega Smart Grid Conference

GridWeek is one of the premiere Smart Grid Conferences that is held annually since 2007. Over the years the conference has become one of the "must-to-attend" event. Organized by top associations like GridWise Architecture Alliance, National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST), Edison Electric Institute (EEI), American Public Power Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Utilities Telecom Council (UTC), and  Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), it covers diverse range of Smart Grid topics and pressing issues with its 40 + sessions in 4 days. Who's Who of the Industry, Government, NGOs, Media, Research Organization, Universities, Consumer Groups, and International organizations are attending the 4 day event that is being held at Washington DC between OCT 18 and 21. Almost every major Smart Grid company(Cisco, Itron, Oracle, A123 systems, ABB, Siemens, CapGemini, EMC2, Landys+Gyr, Toshiba, Trilliant, Wipro) in US and in the world is attending this global Smart Grid gathering. The conferences has themes focusing on almost all Smart Grid Stakeholders that includes Energy End Users, Smart Grid Vendors, Power Companies, Regulatory & Policy, Business & Investment, Telecom Companies, IT Companies, and International attendees.

Its 2010 focus themes and key questions it plans to address are :

Focus Themes

• Engaging Consumers
• Globalization of Smart Grid
• Putting Smart Grid on Fast Track

Key Questions 

• How can we best tap into international Smart Grid markets?
• How do we educate and engage Smart Grid consumers?
• How can Smart Grid help integrate electric vehicles?
• What is the role of ICT, networks and the wireless spectrum in Smart Grid?
• What standards will foster broad-scale deployment?
• How does Smart Grid improve utility operations?
• How do we broaden the Smart Grid landscape?
• What lies beyond interoperability of Smart Grid systems?

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, and U.S.Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra are going to address opening and closing Grid Week sessions.

Relevant News

GridWeek Leadership Awards to Recognize Five Innovators For Vision and Contributions to Advancing the Smart Grid

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra to Address Opening and Closing Days of GridWeek 2010 Smart Grid Conference

Senior Regulatory and Standards Energy Officials to Convene a Smart Grid “Acceleration Roundtable” at GridWeek 2010

GridWeek 2010 Features Widest Range of Smart Grid Programs and Speakers

 

How European countries France, Spain, and Malta are embracing Smart Grid?

In the 3rd part of the "Countries across the world embracing Smart Grid" series we have covered key European countries France, Spain, and Malta.

France : EDF Group which manages 128 GW of power across Europe is leading the Smart grid development in France through its wholly owned subsidiary Electricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF). ERDF started its Smart Grid initiative in 2008 when it awarded the Smart Grid pilot  project to Atos Origin to implement computer network and lead the consortium of technology company for implementing Automated Meter Management (AMM) systems. The pilot phase will implement 300,000 smart meter and 6,000 concentrators in two geographic regions namely the Indre-et-Loire department and the Lyon urban region for which the implementation has begun in March 2010. Along with Atos Origin, other companies like Elster, Actaris, Landis+Gyr, Iskraemeco and institute like EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) are collaborating with ERDF . Eventually, the ERDF aims to replace a total of 35 million plus Smart Meter across the France. The Group of Electricity Distributors (GALED) is a consortium of four local electricity distributors companies, namely, GAZELEC, Régie d'électricité de Loos, Energies et services de Creutzwald and, Energies et services de Lavaur, which in 2008 started implementation of intelligent metering systems  for 90,000 homes. GALED has partnered with Echelon and Altos for its Smart metering initiative that it plans to complete by 2013. French government has earmarked €1.3 billion for "Renewable energy and Green chemistry demonstration" projects that will be given as subsidy and loans in next four years. Out of the €1.3 billion,  €250 million ($320.5 million) will be given to Smart Grid demonstration projects. 

Spain : Iberdrola is one of the world's largest utility company and  leading energy group in Spain. It launched STAR(Network Remote Management and Automation Systems ) project to transform its entire electric grid with Smart Grid in Spain. During the pilot phase, which started in June 2010 and is planned to be finished by the end of the year, it plans to roll out 100,000 smart meters and 583 operational transformation stations to the city of Castellón. After the completion of the project, Castellón will  possibly become the first Smart Grid city in Spain. For this, The Iberdrola is using PRIME (PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution) telecommunication protocol developed by the PRIME ALLIANCE for metering communication. Itron, and  Ormazabal  are the primary companies  that will provide Smart Grid Infrastructure for the pilot phase . Endesa, the largest utility of Spain, was the first to start Smart Grid initiative in Spain back in 2009. Taking cue from its parent company Enel (Italian utility company) and the SmartGrid City Boulder, USA, It launched SmartCity project for the Malaga City in June 2009. The objective of SmartCity project is to demonstrate new energy management model through Smart Grid technology, renewable energy, and other eco-friendly processes. It is leading the consortium of 11 companies (includes IBM, Televent, GreenPower, Enel) and 14 research organizations (includes CeDInt, IREC, F2I2, aicia, La Salle). The four year demonstration project involves  300 industrial customers, 900 service providers, and 11,000 households.The SmartCity project is part of the EU's 20-20-20 plan, which is to meet objectives for 2020 of improving energy efficiency by 20 %,  increase contribution of renewable energy sources in energy mix by 20 %, and reduce CO2 by 20 %. The project is financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and backed by Andalucía provincial government and Center for Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI). The company is also involved in other European and Spanish Smart Grid initiatives like ELVIRE (Electric Vehicle Communication to Infrastructure, Road Services and Electricity Supply), G4V(Grids for Vehicle), MOVELE (electric mobility plan), DE22@, and REVE.

Malta :The island nation located between Italy and Tunisia is all set to become world's first Smart Grid country (benefits of being small). The Maltese utility companies Enemalta Corp. and Water Services Corp . along with the IBM, and Enel are rolling out Smart Grid Infrastructure in the island nation. The 400,000 population of the island nation is depended on energy for its fresh water needs. The depleting groundwater and  saltwater penetration in the aquifers  will force the country to depend more and more on desalination plants (consumes high energy) for its daily fresh water needs. The Water services corp., which operates the desalination plants in the country, reports that 75% cost is related to energy for generating fresh water. The Smart Grid project will improve the energy efficiency (by reducing losses in desalination plants and in overall grid network), allow remote monitoring and management of electric supply,  and real-time analysis of the usage by both customers and utility companies. The project that started in early 2009 will roll out 250,000 smart meters by 2012 and will cost €70 million ($88 million).

Part -1, Part-2, Part-3, Part-4