SMART GRID: A Customer Challenge

Spencer, Robert; Vadari, Mani. Public Utilities Fortnightly 147. 10 (Oct 2009): 48-53.

As excitement and interest in a smart grid builds, utilities across North America are launching Web sites and experiments that will help customers take better advantage of the information that will be available. As important as funding, installation and performance issues will be, ultimately, widespread deployment and success will depend on the ability to engage large numbers of customers in different ways, as partners in energy-delivery networks. So the fundamental challenge is to build a common, though very different, understanding of what is consumed and the importance of when an electrical device is operated. The smart-grid benefits utilities actually can achieve will depend on two factors: the rate of adoption and the magnitude of coincident and non-coincident peakload reductions they can achieve. For the smart grid to realize its potential, utilities and regulators will have to start treating this as the customer recruitment and retention challenge that it is. Cuando emocin e inters en una cuadrcula elegante se desarrollan, utilities enfrente North America estn iniciando sitios web y los experimentos que ayudarn a clientes toman la mejor ventaja de la informacin que estar disponible. Tan importante as la financiacin, la instalacin y los asuntos de rendimiento will ser, en ltima instancia despliegue extendido y xito dependern de la habilidad de atraer a her half a trillion clientes en las maneras diferentes, como parejas en redes de energa - entrega. As que el desafo fundamental es construir un terreno comunal, though muy diferente, comprensivo con respecto a lo lo que es consumido y la importancia de cundo es operado un dispositivo elctrico. Los beneficios elegante - cuadrcula que utilities en realidad pueden conseguir dependern de dos factores: el rate de la adopcin y la magnitud de las reducciones mximo - carga coincidentes y noncoincidente que pueden conseguir. Para la rejilla elegante darse cuenta de su potencial, empresa de servicio pblico y reguladores tendrn que empezar a tratar esto como la contratacin del cliente y el desafo de retencin que es.

SmartGrid: Future networks for New Zealand power systems incorporating distributed generation
Nirmal-Kumar C. Nair
a , a,

and Lixi Zhanga

Power Systems Group, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Auckland,

Auckland 1142, New Zealand Received 20 August 2008; accepted 12 March 2009. Available online 5 May 2009.

Abstract
The concept of intelligent electricity grids, which primarily involves the integration of new information and communication technologies with power transmission lines and distribution cables, is being actively explored in the European Union and the United States. Both developments share common technological developmental goals but also differ distinctly towards the role of distributed generation for their future electrical energy security. This paper looks at options that could find relevance to New Zealand (NZ), in the context of its aspiration of achieving 90% renewable energy electricity generation portfolio by 2025. It also identifies developments in technical standardization and industry investments that facilitate a pathway towards an intelligent or smart grid development for NZ. Some areas where policy can support research in NZ being a fast adapter to future grid development are also listed. This paper will help policy makers quickly review developments surrounding SmartGrid and also identify its potential to support NZ Energy Strategy in the electricity infrastructure. This paper will also help researchers and power system stakeholders for identifying international standardization, projects and potential partners in the area of future grid technologies. Keywords: Distributed generation; Electrical power systems; Power grids

Power meters gear up for Smart Grid service

Conner, Margery. Test & Measurement World 29. 4 (May 2009): /.

Most residences and commercial buildings in the US use old-style electromechanical utility power meters to track electricity use. The meters are reliable and cheap but are inadequate for use by a powerdistribution system that requires accurate, repeatable power metrics as well as wired or wireless communications - in other words, the coming Smart Grid electrical power-distribution system. The Smart Grid depends on smart meters with sophisticated communication capabilities to monitor energy usage and allow residential and business consumers alike to make informed choices about how much energy to use and when to consume it. Regardless of whether the Smart Grid in some form will proceed at the national level smoothly and seamlessly, enough individual utilities are purchasing and installing electronic power meters to make this market significant. La mayora de los residencias y edificios de comercial en los EE.UU. use que los metros de potencia del servicio pblico de electromechanical viejo - estilo sigan de forma paralela el uso de electricidad. Los medidores son seguros y baratos pero son inadecuado para el uso por un sistema de poder - distribucin que requiere las mtricas a motor exactas, reproducibles tanto como las comunicaciones aceleradas o inalmbricas en otras palabras, el Grid elctrico sistema de poder - distribucin elegante prximo. La cuadrcula elegante depende de los metros elegantes con las capacidad de comunicacin sofisticadas de monitorear el uso de energa y permitir que consumidores residenciales y business hagan las elecciones bien fundadas igual sobre cunta energa usar y cundo consumirlo. Sin considerar si la red elegante en un poco de forma seguir en el nivel nacional suavemente y de manera uniforme, enough empresa de servicio pblico individual est comprando y instalando medidores a motor electrnicas para hacer este mercado importante.

Smart Grid Communications

Swirbul, Cathy. Transmission & Distribution World 63. 4 (Apr 2011): 9-13.

The utility industry has reached a consensus: It is time to replace vintage grid infrastructure. What remains unclear is which communications platform or platforms will support the widespread upgrade. The problem is that utilities have operated in an environment where grid-related equipment such as remote terminal units and intelligent electronics devices are replaced every 15 to 30 years, said Doug McGinnis, principal smart grid communications architect, Exelon Corp. Burns & McDonnell has advised numerous utility clients on potential communications platforms to support their smart grid projects. Their general advice is that the typical large utility may need three different platforms, according to Matt Olson, senior electrical engineer of telecommunications and network engineering, Burns & McDonnell. SmartSynch's CMO Campbell McCool's bold declaration that utilities have no business operating private communications networks represents one extreme, while most voices have gravitated toward more of a combination of public and private networks.

Smart Grid Communication: A Snapshot

Sumic, Zarko. Transmission & Distribution World 63. 4 (Apr 2011): 5.
The recent push toward achieving interoperability in smart grid areas, combined with entry of communications megavendors such as Cisco in the smart grid communications market, favors Internet Protocol-based communications technology and has raised interest in more ubiquitous nonutilityspecific communications technology such as WiMAX. Traditionally, utility companies have considered communications technology as a component of the particular initiative, such as a mobile workforce management project, a supervisory control and data acquisition or distribution automation initiative, an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployment or even a platform from which to venture into a commercial broadband service offering. Most of the current AMI deployments include connections to a HAN to support consumer-based energy-efficiency initiatives and demand-response solutions

Smart Communications for Smart Grid

Mauldin, Paul. Transmission & Distribution World 63. 4 (Apr 2011): 3.

Without the right communications platform, a utility's smart grid deployment could create a financial sinkhole and plenty of buyer's remorse. If utilities let up on the momentum now, paralyzed by which communications technologies to choose, smart grid could go the way of many past utility initiatives and end up as pilot studies and a set of binders or disks on cubical shelves. Conversely, overly hasty decisions in choosing network solutions could result in stranded assets and unsupported technologies. Meanwhile, it is a good time for telecommunications companies to form tight relationships with an industry on the ascent with strong government regulatory and financial

support. Most utilities need some use of public networks for smart grid deployment -- at least for data backhaul.

Real-time Energy Monitoring and Controlling System based on ZigBee Sensor Networks
Woong Hee Kim , Sunyoung Lee and Jongwoon Hwang
a a a , a,

KIST Europe Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Stuhlsatzenhausweg 97, Universitaet des Saarlandes, D-66123 Saarbruecken,

Germany Available online 17 August 2011.

Abstract
The use of smart home technology in the home or building o_ers significant potential for energy savings. In this paper, we propose an energy management system based on wireless sensor networks. The proposed system is composed of two main components: a wireless sensor network and an intelligent home gateway. Wireless sensors are used for sensing and transmitting electricity data and remote monitoring and control of home appliances are provided to users through the intelligent home gateway. The system enables users to save energy by monitoring and controlling home appliances through web and mobile devices. Keywords: home network; energy management system; ZigBee

Smart grids: Another step towards competition, energy security and climate change objectives
Cdric Clastres
a , a,

LEPII-EDDEN, UPMF, CNRS, BP-47, 38040 Grenoble Cedex 9, France

Received 7 February 2011; accepted 15 May 2011. Available online 23 June 2011.

Abstract
The deployment of smart grids in electricity systems has given rise to much interdisciplinary research. The new technology is seen as an additional instrument available to States to achieve targets for promoting competition, increasing the

safety of electricity systems and combating climate change. But the boom in smart grids also raises many economic questions. Public policies will need to be adapted, firstly to make allowance for the potential gains from smart grids and the associated information flow, and secondly to regulate the new networks and act as an incentive for investors. The new competitive offerings and end-user pricing systems will contribute to improving allocative and productive efficiency, while minimizing the risks of market power. With real-time data on output and consumption, generators and consumers will be able to adapt to market conditions. Lastly smart grids will boost the development of renewable energy sources and new technologies, by assisting their integration and optimal use.

Highlights
Smart grids could promote competition with new offerings and end-user pricing. New information could induce demand response and demand-side management. New regulatory policies are needed to favour the deployment of smart grids. Development of new technologies could be improved.

Introduction
The European Union is currently making several changes to the organization of the energy market and setting new targets for deregulation and combating climate change. Deregulation of the electricity and gas industries raises questions regarding genuine competition in the market place, the safety of system management, and the production and supply of energy commodities. In its ongoing drive to build a single energy market the European Commission has recently focussed fresh attention on these issues. A single market would be one of the possible solutions for securing energy systems and enjoying the benefits of competition for investment and industrial competitiveness (European Commission, 2010). But in addition to asserting its free-market values Brussels is determined to combat climate change. Such environmental concerns are reflected in the Climate and Energy package, and targets for energy efficiency, in particular to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make more widespread use of renewable energy sources (European Commission, 2010). The Commission recently asked individual Member States to publish their targets in line with the measures covered by the climate and energy package.

The complexity of the systems and the links between the various targets makes it necessary to harmonize several measures. Taken as a whole such measures should bring the European Union closer to, or perhaps enable it to achieve, the ambitious goals set by the European authorities. Several scientific fields must contribute to attaining these targets, reaching from various established economic mechanisms (incentive policies, support for innovation and R&D instruments, swapping of emission permits, new taxes, etc.) to development of new technologies and materials, through changes in the behaviour of consumers and producers. In the electricity sector rising consumption (IEA, 2010a) will raise questions regarding dependence on fossil fuels, and their impact on environmental constraints, and ageing assets, which affect the safety and reliability of electricity systems. In recent years safety margins have been reduced and concerns regarding investments and the quality of supply, particularly on distribution networks, have surfaced again. According to the International Energy Agency (2010a) almost 70% of investment in Europe's energy sector between now and 2035 will concern electricity. To build an open market and achieve targets regarding safety and lower emissions, smart grid (SG) technology has attracted considerable interest in fields as diverse as economics, sociology and electrical engineering (Coll-Mayor et al., 2007). Using the tools of economic theory such as regulation, incentives or competition analysis, we may provide a preliminary overview of possible solutions for encouraging the emergence of new technologies. The present article is divided into four sections. Section 2 sets out to define smart grids and the gains each of the players in the electricity value chain may expect. Section 3 explains the economic theory associated with the potential benefits of improving information in the electricity market. Section 4 reviews the various issues regarding regulation, which will be required to fulfil two purposes: regulating the new approaches to smart grid management and providing an incentive for investment in this technology, with the gains evenly shared between players. Lastly Section 5 discusses the usefulness of smart grids in the context of the increasing role played by renewable energy sources and new technologies in electricity systems.

I. Introduction
Smart Grid and automated metering infrastructure (AMI) technologies are increasingly seen as a critical component to

improving efficiency (e.g., reducing energy use, operating costs, and demand for peaking power plants), increasing the reliability of the electric power delivery system, and improving customer service. These technologies rely on two-way communications systemseither lower capacity/speed narrowband options such as fixed wireless radio frequency (RF) or power line carrier (PLC), or broadband options such as broadband over power lines (BPL) or wireless networks. In the United States, narrowband RF and PLC networks are currently the first- and second-most common communication systems for AMI. Broadband use is likely to expand because it enables Smart Grid/AMI systems to provide more sophisticated conservation and load management
1

(C&LM) programs, distribution system control, and support for distributed generation technologies. These advantages promise to increase reliability and efficiency, and reduce investment and operating costs. Utility broadband may also increase

competition and availability of broadband Internet services, especially in less densely populated areas. In this context, it is important to correctly assess the incremental costs/benefits of broadband solutions instead of narrowband communications options. In this article, we focus on the potential incremental gains from employing broadband as opposed to narrow-band communications technologies. We discuss valuing the incremental costs and benefits of broadband technologies, and the need to consider potential technological innovation in the investment decision. We also highlight the prudence and pricing issues associated with shared use of broadband networks. Shared use refers to some combination of Smart

Grid/AMI applications and sale of high-speed Internet access service, and/or network capacity to third-party energy service providers. It should be noted that Smart Grid and broadband deployment have become national prioritiesthe Smart Grid

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes a combined total of about $11 billion to fund and broadband projects.
2

The fundamental economic question from both a financial investment and regulatory prudence perspective is whether the expected incremental benefits (cost savings plus added revenue/value) from using broadband rather than narrow band are large enough to cover the expected incremental costs. If the answer to this question is affirmative and if the project has a positive net present value, then employing increased bandwidth is both prudent and does not result in cross-subsidization. The same analytic framework is appropriate for the two types of shared use referenced above. However, use of broadband for communications purposes raises potential competitive issues because other (telecommunications) firms provide or can provide high-speed Internet access.Joint use of the communication system can promote more efficient electricity production and use and can advance broadband Internet access availability and competition. From a public policy perspective, regulators may find the value of positive externalities associated with broadbandi.e., net gains that would not accrue to the utility large enough to offset any negative expected financial returns. For example,

regulators may wish to reduce pollution, promote competition in distributed generation and energy services, or promote broadband communications in underserved areas. To do so they should consider: allowing broadband investment to be added to the rate base, even if the costs; and allowing the utility's utility own direct known economic benefits do not exceed the utility's incremental

to recover the associated costs, including a reasonable opportunity to recover an

appropriate return on and of the capital. In view of the uncertainties and the potential for large economies of scope from joint use of the Smart Grid/AMI communications infrastructure, policymakers should consider allowing electric utilities

to own and operate broadband. Given appropriate pricing, cost accounting, and revenue recognition policies, joint use of the communication system is likely to promote more efficient electricity production and use and can advance broadband Internet access availability and competition.

II. Background
In the past decade, electric arnings by utilizing the owned utilities utilities utilities utility's have evaluated communication services as a means to diversify and grow last-mile wires into consumers homes. In general, the efforts of investor-

to diversify into communication services were not very successful. However, some publicly owned have successfully set up broadband communication services in conjunction with utility utility use. Some

public and private

efforts to gain legal/regulatory approval to offer broadband services have been challenged utilities

by potential competitors. Consequently, significant competitive and economic issues have arisen in conjunction with assessing whether to implement advanced metering and communications systems and whether to invest in higher bandwidth systems rather than the minimum required network. Broadband-enabled Smart

Grid/AMI systems tend to be in an experimental phase. BPL was identified as one of the
3

promising technologies to deliver these services. For example, Xcel Energy has begun constructing an extensive, experimental Smart Grid project for Boulder, Colorado. Nearly 90 percent of the city will be connected with BPL;
5 4

however, Xcel Energy will also test wireless capabilities. As of year-end 2007, the United Power Line Council BPL Deployment Map showed 10 commercial BPL deployments and 24 BPL trials in the U.S.
7 6

Utilities

are also using

advanced wireless technologiese.g., Hydro One is deploying a high-speed (250 kbps) wireless mesh as part of its extensive AMI system, and Texas New Mexico Power (TNMP) is using AT&T's digital wireless cellular network to connect to 10,000 residential Thus far, use of smart utility meters. broadband for Internet access appears to be limited. IBM, an early BPL proponent, recently utilities would face little competition
8

argued that retail Internet access service is best suited to rural areas where
9

because cable modem and DSL would cost too much to build. However, BPL Internet access could eventually find a broader market if BPL providers can close the gap in communications speed and/or lower their costs. This could occur if BPL finds greater use in AMI/ smart grid networks. In any case, a
10

utility

considering the sale of Internet services to its

customers needs to keep in mind that a number of these ventures were not successful and in some cases shareholders were punished for ill-advised or unsuccessful ventures. Thus,
11

utilities

are cautious about moving beyond their core

business. This is evidenced by the recent Oncor purchase of Current Group's BPL network and Oncor's subsequent decision to use the network for utilities utility purposes onlyi.e., not to sell Internet access. In addition to the business risk,

also have to evaluate the regulatory risks associated with the allocation of costs and revenues and whether there is Utilities have to evaluate the regulatory risks

any incentive to shareholders. We address these issues below.

associated with the allocation of costs and revenues and whether there is any incentive to shareholders.

Pathways of smart innovation

S. Marvin
a b c , ,a b

metering development: shaping environmental

, H. Chappells and S. Guy

Research and Graduate College, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK Centre for Science Studies, Bowland Tower South, University of Lancaster, Lancaster LA1 4YT, UK Centre for Urban Technology, Department of Town and Country Planning, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Claremont Tower,

Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 7RU, UK Available online 28 June 1999.

Abstract
Utility meters are being transformed from simple measurement devices to complex socio-technical systems, enhanced

by the addition of new informational and communication capacities. In this paper, we examine how there are multiple opportunities for the development of environmental applications within smarter metering systems. These include improving the

efficiency of generation and distribution networks by more imaginative and customer-specific load and tariff control packages or providing customers with cost and environmental messages through user displays. The take-up of these potentials is strongly framed by the competing commercial priorities established by privatisation and liberalisation. Identifying four distinct metering technical development pathways (TDPs), the paper shows how the insertion of environmental functionalities into different smart utilities. meters is only partly a technological issue. Each TDP is designed to structure relations between users and the Different types of environmental opportunities exist within each TDP, but these potentials are often squeezed out by

competing priorities. Implementing these environmental applications would require a powerful shift in regulatory and institutional frameworks within which utilities and manufacturers configure the functionalities of smart meters. It is

only in this way that the flexible approach needed to recognise and reinstate environmental objectives into the development of smart meters could be realised and maintained.

1. Introduction
Utility meters are the gateway technology through which energy and water services are delivered to the home (Marvin & Guy, 1997). There is currently wide interest in how new information and communication technologies can transform the conventional meter into a smart tool for the more efficient environmental management of resources ( Aitken, 1996;Lascelles & Adonis,

1995; Stansell, 1993). Yet public policy debates about the development of smart metering and their environmental implications are often too simplistic, with debates over the benefits of one metering technology above another. By identifying four metering technical development pathways (TDPs), this paper examines how the creation of new opportunities for environmental action is a much more multi-faceted and complex process. The functionalities of new metering technologies are brought together in distinct packages that frame the social context for environmental action by the utility and customer. While we show how social and technical design processes create a diversity of environmental opportunities across a range of smarter metering technologies, these potentials are often marginalised by stronger commercial and institutional objectives. The rest of the paper is structured in six sections. First, we briefly review new information and communication technologies that have transformed metering systems and the environmental applications that can be developed. Second, we examine the role of competing social interests in shaping the development of smart metering systems. Third, we identify four different smart metering development pathways and the way each uniquely structures social relations between utilities and users. Fourth, the emergence of TDPs and the blurring of boundaries between them are examined. Fifth, we analyse the opportunities for environmental action associated with different development pathways. Finally, the conclusion argues that the social interest shaping the functionality of smart meters needs to be widened to ensure that a diverse range opportunities for environmental action is developed.

THE DISTRIBUTION CONTROL CENTRE IN A SMARTGRID Gilbert SUTER Thomas G. WERNER Siemens Schweiz AG, T&D EAM Switzerland Siemens AG, E D EA SOL Germany gilbert.suter@siemens.com thomas.werner@siemens.com

ABSTRACT The management from T&D networks is increasingly impacted by (new) aspects such as: Integration of distributed energy resources Fluctuating in-feeds Increasing short-circuit currents Increasing distance between generation and load Grid bottlenecks Increased energy trading Higher needs for supply quality along with greater network complexity and vulnerability Cost pressure in CAPEX and OPEX. These shall drive the European electricity utilities for more flexible and efficient grids in order to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. For this, utilities will have to enhance existing infrastructures with new innovative tools and technologies (from generation, transmission and distribution all the way down to consumer equipment) to create a flexible and

living SmartGrid operated proactively at three levels of control: centralized, decentralized and local. SmartGrid technologies improve the observability and controllability of the power system. Smart Grid implementation extends over several technical solutions like SmartMetering, SmartSubstation, etc. Due to the number of elements involved and the required performances, the SmartGrid shall operate mostly in closed-loop (with as little as possible human intervention). In this context, the Distribution Control Centre plays a vital role for setting up and managing the SmartGrid. It has to support the utility with tools and processes to ensure and improve network operation in terms of Reliability, Security, Economics, Power quality, Efficiency, Environmental quality and Safety

SmartGRID: A fully decentralized Grid Scheduling Framework supported by Swarm Intelligence Ye Huang, Amos Brocco, Pierre Kuonen, Mich`ele Courant, Beat Hirsbrunner

Abstract

Resource management and scheduling has

proven to be one of the key topics for grid computing. Nowadays, the resource management eld is subdivided into low-level and high-level approaches. While low-level resource management systems normally concern the scheduling activities within a single virtual organization, high-level

schedulers focus on the large scale resources utilization with unstable resource availability, low reliability networks, multi-policies, multi-administrative domains, etc. In this paper, we propose a decentralized framework named SmartGRID to tackle high-level grid resource management and scheduling. Within the SmartGRID framework, swarm intelligence algorithms are used for resource discovery and monitoring, standard protocols and schemes are adopted for scheduler interoperability, and an embedded plugin mechanism is provided to utilize multi-type external scheduling strategies. With a clearly decoupled layered architecture, SmartGRID has been designed to be a generic and modular environment to support intelligent and interoperable grid resource management upon a volatile, dynamics, and heterogeneous grid computing infrastructure. Index Terms Grid, Scheduler Interoperability, Highlevel Scheduling, Swarm Intelligence, Ant, Grid Community. I. Introduction Grid computing means coordinated resource sharing and problem solving in dynamic, multi-institutional virtual organizations [1]. Grid environments contain a large number of complex services with variable functionalities. The integration of these services requires a exible, extensible, and consensual resource management and scheduling solution, which is unavailable yet. For a precise de nition and categorization of diverse scheduling responsibilities, [2] proposed the expressions high-level scheduler to denote a scheduler that is actually negotiating with another scheduler for possible job allocation, and low-level resource management system for the

part focusing on local job allocation and execution within each single virtual organization (VO). Generally, resource owners of diverse VOs participate in a grid environment by providing resources with speci strategies. In this context, low-level resource management systems are responsible for assigning jobs to appropriate resources found in the same VO; on the other hand, highlevel schedulers concern with scheduling events interaction, negotiation and allocation amongst multiple organizations. SmartGRID [3] [4] is a cooperative project aiming at bringing a decisive increase in e ciency, robustness, and reliability regarding the volatile, dynamics, and heterogeneous grid computing infrastructure. SmartGRID comprises three parts: the Smart Resource management layer (SRML), the Smart Signaling layer (SSL), and the Data Warehouse Interface (DWI). The Smart Resource Management Layer (SRML) is an interoperable grid scheduler community composed of engaged decentralized high-level schedulers named MaGate 1 , which are modular designed for easy extension. With the infrastructure information retrieved from the DWI, MaGates discover and connect to each other, and collaborate to construct an integrated grid community, which is used to bridge the heterogeneous grid systems with a consensual view. Furthermore, the grid community can evolve dynamically, and recover a failed grid section automatically.

Information about available resources and network status is gathered by the Smart Signaling Layer (SSL), and then put into DWI s distributed data storages. Being based on swarm intelligence algorithms, the SSL is composed by an overlay network of Nest s that provide the runtime environment for the execution of ant mobile agents. This approach provides an adaptive and robust signaling mechanism, supporting monitoring of the grid and resource discovery.

La tecnologa de Smart Grid nace de los intentos por usar controles de consumo mediante medidores y sistemas de monitorizacin. En 1980, los medidores automticos se utilizados para monitorizar las cargas de millones de clientes, lo que deriv en una Infraestructura avanzada en 1990 que era capaz de determinar la cantidad de energa que se utilizaba en diferentes momentos del da.

La Smart Grid mantiene una constante comunicacin, por lo que los controles se pueden hacer en tiempo real y se pueden utilizar como un puente para la creacin de sistemas inteligentes de ahorro de energa en las casas. Uno de los primeros dispositivos de este tipo, fue el de demanda pasiva que permite determinar las variaciones de frecuencia en la provisin de energa en las casas.

Dispositivos domsticos e industriales como los aires condicionados, heladeras, y calentadores ajustan su ciclo de trabajo para evitar su activacin en los momentos en donde exista un pico en la utilizacin de energa, evitando as la sobrecarga de los sistemas de abastecimiento.

En el 2000, Italia cre el primer proyecto Smart Grid que abarc cerca de 27 millones de hogares usando medidores inteligentes conectados a travs de una lnea de comunicacin.

Los proyectos ms recientes son los que utilizan tecnologa inalmbrica o BPL (Broadband Over Power Line). Los procesos de monitorizacin y sincronizacin de las redes se desarrollaron enormemente cuando la Bonneville Power Administration cre un nuevo prototipo de sensores que eran capaces de analizar con gran rapidez las anomalas en la calidad de energa elctrica en reas geogrficas muy grandes. Esto deriv en la primera Wide Area Measurement System (WAMS) en el 2000. Otros pases han integrado tambin esta tecnologa, China, est construyendo su WAMS, que estar terminada en el 2016.

SMART GRIDS Y LA EVOLUCIN DE LA RED ELCTRICA 21/82

En abril de 2006, el Consejo Asesor de la Plataforma Tecnolgica de redes tecnolgicas del futuro de Europa present su visin de Smart Grids. Esta es impulsada por los efectos combinados de la liberacin del mercado, el cambio de las tecnologas actuales por las de ltima generacin para cumplir los objetivos ambientales y los usos futuros de la electricidad.

Actualmente, seguimos usando una red elctrica que fue desarrollada hace ms de un siglo, sin embargo, en un fututo inmediato deberemos afrontar nuevos desafos que surgen de la liberalizacin de los mercados y de la evolucin de la tecnologa en este campo.

Aunque el funcionamiento de las redes actuales es correcto, se debe trabajar para proporcionar un suministro elctrico seguro y sostenible.