Translator Disclaimers
Smartgrid
The electric industry is making the transformation from a centralized, producer-controlled network to one that is less dependent on centralized generation and more dependent on customer interaction.  The move to a “Smart Grid” promises to change the industry’s entire business model, as well as its relationship with customers, regulators and emerging technology.

 

A Smart Grid is not achieved simply with the installation of a “smart” meter.  Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is part of a smart grid but not necessarily the most important or essential part of the Smart Grid.  A Smart Grid is more than just the two-way communication which allows a customer to turn appliances on and/or off.  It is more than time of use, time of day, or dynamic pricing.  All these items are part of the Smart Grid but are not the only part of a Smart Grid.

 

An automated, widely distributed energy delivery network, the Smart Grid will be characterized by a two-way flow of electricity and information and will be capable of monitoring everything from power plants to customer preferences to specific appliances.  It incorporates into the grid the benefits of distributed computing and communications to deliver real-time information and enable the near-instantaneous balance of supply and demand at the device level.  

 

Adoption of the Smart Grid will enhance every facet of our electricity delivery systems, including generation, transmission, distribution and consumption.  It will energize those utility initiatives that seek to encourage consumers to modify their patterns of usage, including the timing and level of electricity demand. It will increase the adoption of distributed generation, bringing generation closer to those it serves.  The Smart Grid will empower consumers to become active participants in their energy choices to a degree never before possible.