Why IP is the right foundation for Smart Grid and other stories....

1) Why IP is the right foundation for Smart Grid?

Cisco Systems makes interesting case for adoption of IP technologies for Smart Grid. IP, which has proven, scalable, cost-effective, and interoperable communication standards for information and commercial networks around the world can serve as the foundation for Smart Grid. 

2) 10 Cities adopting Smart Grid technology in the USA

According to US News, these 10 cities are leading the Smart Grid movement in the USA. The 10 cities includes, Austin TX, Tempe AZ, Boulder CO, Fort Collins CO, Maui, Sacramento CA, San Diego CA, Washington DC, Worcester, MA and Toronto.

3)  Let's make home as smart as our cars

An interesting article published by TheEnergyCollective provides a thoughtful insight how Smart Car technologies if adopted in Smart Homes can transform our house and lives.

4) U.S. and Russia collaborating on Smart Grid efforts

The USAID alongwith DOE (Department of Energy) is expanding its international collaboration, this time partnering with Russia for energy efficiency and Smart Grid.

5) Let's Make Dumb Building Smarter

40 % of the energy and 70% electricity in the US is consumed by buildings that represents huge opportunity for energy savings resulting $30 to $50 billion in savings. Fortunately, startups like Scientific Conversion, Building IQ, Adura, and Encilium are working on this domain to tap this huge opportunity.

Countries across the world embracing Smart Grid .. Part-1

Smart Grid is a hot buzz these days on the news, commercials, business, technology, and political spectrum. Over the years various technologies have changed but the energy grid, designed over 80-100 years ago has remained more or less the same. As it is said, if Graham Bell is to visit the earth today he would not recognize the communication technologies, but if Edison were to visit he would very well figure out the energy grid. The challenges of Global warming, limited conventional energy resources, increasing demand of energy, global energy security, and energy efficiency are the key concern for countries across the world. Smart Grid, which is an umbrella term for collection of technologies is set to play key role in meeting these energy challenges facing us today.    Smart Grid for India takes a closer look of the countries that are pursuing this technology to revolutionize their energy infrastructure which is said to have potential to transform the energy and utility industry the way Internet transformed the computer industry and may have same impact as internet has in our lives.

The United States : The US is at the forefront of Smart Grid technology race. Almost a year ago the Obama government allocated $3.4 billion stimulus budget for the Smart Grid technologies,  so far the government has allocated most of the stimulus fund to the selected companies,  universities, and organizations.  The United States has largest Smart Grid program going on in the world where governments, organizations, companies, universities, and utilities are collaborating for new Smart Grid standards, developing innovative products, setting up training institutes, initiating pilot projects, starting companies, and establishing consumer advocacy groups.

Smart Grid Projects in USA (Courtesy Smart Grid Clearing house)

Key developments

• Xcel Energy has started Smart Grid pilot projects to transforms Boulder, Colorado into Smart Grid city. When completed, Boulder will be the first Smart City in the world.
• Almost every utility in the US has some or other form of Smart Grid focus or project going on
• All major US companies including IBM (Smart Planet), Cisco(Smart Grid products), GE (ecomagination), Google (PowerMeter), Microsoft(Hohm), Itron, Accenture have strong Smart Grid focus
• National Institute of Science and Technology, IEEE, Department of Energy are actively collaborating with the stakeholders to set up Smart Grid standards
• More than 10 Smart Grid organization (GridWise Architecture, GridWise Alliance, ZigBee Alliance, Smart Grid Consumer Coalition)  have been established and are actively pursuing Smart Grid related development.
• Smart Grid Clearing house and www.smartgrid.gov provide comprehensive information about smart grid and smart grid projects sponsored by government respectively
• The US government and 15 other countries have launched International Smart Grid Action Network for global smart grid collaboration.

Canada : The northern neighbor of US is equally active in transforming its archaic grid  to Smart Grid. Canadian government is funding the utilities smart grid initiatives under the clean energy fund. The government plans to invest $1 billion over the next five years in clean energy. Ontario is leading the Smart Grid movement in Canada through its energy conservation responsibility Act of 2006 by which it has mandated that all the businesses and household be equipped with smart meter by 2010.


Key developments

• Canadian provinces Calgary, Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island have received $2.5 to $20 million funding from the government for various Smart  Grid demonstration projects.
•  Hydro One, the Ontario utility with its Smart Grid partner Trilliant is actively pursuing Smart Grid initiative in Ontario region. It has installed more than 1.2 million Smart Meters in Ontario. Soon, Hydro One will have Time-of-Use(TOU) pricing mechanism for its consumers
•  BC Hydro (British Columbia), EnMax (Calgary), Fortis Alberta(Alberta) and other provincial utilities across the nation have started Smart Grid projects which are at various stages of implementation.
• Toronto Hydro, the Toronto energy provider has completed Smart Meter installation in Toronto. It has started Time-of-Use(TOU) pricing mechanism for its residential consumers.
• Organizations like Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) are spearheading the Smart Grid movement through Ontario Smart Grid Forum and Ontario Smart Grid Task Force

Mexico : Mexico is taking active interest in Smart Grid developments in North America, but  as of now the country do not have any national Smart Grid plans. The Country is participating in International forums like International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) and is member for many of the ISGAN working groups. The Mexico city power supplier CFE is planning to upgrade its aging infrastructure for which it is actively considering to used Smart Grid technologies for the new upgrades.

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

Cisco joins Smart Grid bandwagon launches Smart Grid products

The IT networking giant Cisco has recently launched router and grid switch for the Utility companies to deploy Smart Grid networks. The Cisco Smart Grid products, Connected Grid Router (CGR 2010) and Connected Grid Switch (CGS 2520) are based on IP technology. Cisco has been building IP based products for IT since its inception and have strong expertise in this domain. Cisco has identified Smart Grid as its focus area and CEO John Chambers mentioned that Smart Grid represents bigger opportunity than Internet. It has created Smart Grid ecosystem  to develop partnership with Smart Grid stakeholders and to tap the $ 20 billion opportunity, Chambers further elaborated it has "unlimited" budget for Smart Grid .The company plans to provide products and services for substations automation, managing distributed energy resources, and home and business energy management. The networking giant already has energy metering and network management tools like EnergyWise and Network Building Mediator. It has partnered with utility companies like Duke energy and  Florida Power & Light (USA), Yellostrom (Germany), and Enmax (Canada). 

For Utilities companies, a robust partner with deep pockets and strong expertise in networking means less risk in managing advance smart energy distribution system. The new products are already being tested by  E.oN Westfalen Weser (Germany), Enel (Italy & Spain) and Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric (US). According to Cisco, These products are “ruggedized” for electric network and can withstand high and low temperature, detect network outages, and can integrate renewables.Cisco's Senior VP Laura Ipsen mentioned that Cisco is looking at the entire Smart Grid ecosystem as a potential market and emerging countries like India and China represent huge market opportunity for them. Cisco's competitor in this domain are smaller companies like SmartSynch and Silver Spring.

Sources :  Earth2Tech

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