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Smart Grid 2.0

By Jack Ellis, , , March, 15, 2010 - Back in 2005, a couple of engineers1 used the term "Smart Grid" to describe their vision of an advanced power system. Particularly in the aftermath of the 2003 Northeast Blackout, Smart Grid quickly became a convenient, attention-getting way to label anything remotely related to grid modernization. Just as "dot.com" described anything Internet at the turn of the century, "Smart Grid" now describes just about anything related to electricity.  more...
Article Viewed 461 Times  |  19 Comments

Smart Forecasting for a Smarter Grid

By Michael Price, Specialist Leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP, February, 24, 2010 - Most successful smart metering programs focus on business process management to maximize benefits (e.g., operational improvements) enabled by an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). Improved data visibility, frequency, and quality enabled by AMI technologies, can enhance future-state business processes and allow the utility to truly reach the expectations of the large investment they are making. Smart metering is much more than the limited implementation of AMI networks and advanced, digital two-way communicating meters. Smart metering not only provides the ability to change what is done, but also, how, when, and where process tasks and activities are performed to support existing end-to-end business process execution and the implementation of entirely new smart metering processes. AMI technologies should not in themselves define business processes. Instead, AMI should be leveraged as one piece of an overall smart grid program aimed to ultimately improve the business (AMI is an important component of the solution, not the solution itself).  more...
Article Viewed 1319 Times  |  2 Comments

Tangled Network: Transmission or Meter Investments

By Kate Rowland, Managing Editor, Intelligent Utility Magazine, Energy Central, December, 23, 2009 - It's as old a debate as the chicken and the egg, and as complicated as the Gordian knot. Should utilities tackle transmission or customers first when making investments in a smarter grid?  more...
Article Viewed 1918 Times  |  3 Comments

Regulation and Smart Energy: Dealing with Uncertainty

By Bart Thielbar, Senior Research Analyst, Sierra Energy Group, a Division of Energy Central, December, 08, 2009 - Industry professionals are overwhelmed with calls for smart grid implementations and many utilities are moving in that direction. They are doing so, however, with much uncertainty regarding cost recovery and even more uncertainty regarding any potential return on their investments. For the most part, state regulators have been slow to provide meaningful answers or directions for utilities seeking to make investments that will make them more efficient and empower consumers. In fairness to the regulators, the issues require a thoughtful approach to the cost recovery issues and it seems reasonable that they will want to carefully consider potential impacts to consumers.  more...
Article Viewed 1843 Times  |  5 Comments

The Smart Grid Ready Framework, Part 2

By Larsh Johnson, President and CTO, eMeter Corporation, November, 25, 2009 - The first part of this two-part article covered the Smart Grid Ready Framework, and an overview of some of its components. This week, we will cover the final three.  more...
Article Viewed 2200 Times  |  3 Comments

The Smart Grid Ready Framework, Part I

By Larsh Johnson, President and CTO, eMeter Corporation, November, 11, 2009 - The smart grid is a rapidly evolving combination of new intelligent networks, information systems and regulations. The promise of smart grid is to allow utilities and consumers to manage energy generation, distribution and usage in real-time, and to collaborate to drive energy efficiency. Arguably, this promise will be most acutely demonstrated in the "last mile" of the grid -- that portion encompassing the infrastructure and management processes where utility meets consumer and supply versus demand is optimized.  more...
Article Viewed 1835 Times  |  3 Comments

Empowering Consumers: Moving Intelligence to the Edge of the Grid

By Audrey Zibelman, President and CEO, Viridity Energy, October, 21, 2009 - The electric industry is now embarking upon a revolution which in many respects resembles the transformation that the communications industry has undergone in recent decades. The transition from the "dumb" telephone network of the past to the intelligent Internet of today transferred greater and greater control and functionality to the edge of the network -- to customers. Similarly, the emphasis now placed on distributed resources and dynamic load control signifies an era in which customers will have greater control over their energy bills and over the nation's generation mix.  more...
Article Viewed 2166 Times  |  13 Comments

IP Ahead, But No Network Designed for It

By Paul Korzeniowski, , , October, 06, 2009 - In the world of a smarter grid, all communications connections will be paved with IP. The use of that networking protocol will enable vendors to lower their product costs and will help companies manage a wider array of devices from a central console. "The benefits of using IP are so great that every equipment and software supplier is moving to it," said Raj Vaswani, chief technology officer, Silver Spring Networks.  more...
Article Viewed 1789 Times  |  2 Comments

Cyber Security for a Smarter Grid

By Russ Holder, Vice President of System Engineering & Integration, Intergraph, September, 23, 2009 - Long gone are the days when cyber attackers were teenagers in their basements writing viruses and sending them out across the World Wide Web for entertainment and notoriety. Today's cyber attacks are sophisticated, targeted and have insidious motives such as profit/extortion and terrorism. Attackers are going after organizations that cannot afford to experience any downtime, such as ecommerce sites, banks, telecommunications providers and utilities, and demanding money in exchange for restoring or not disturbing their networks. Additionally, evidence suggests the use of cyber attacks against the U.S. by foreign powers as a form of warfare, i.e., cyber terrorism or cyberwarfare.  more...
Article Viewed 3743 Times  |  2 Comments

Networks for High Performance: The Journey to Smart Grid Communications Infrastructure

By Jeffrey Taft, Global Smart Grid Solution Architect, Accenture, September, 10, 2009 - The evolution of smart grid initiatives is ushering a new era of energy generation, transmission, distribution, and customer interaction. It is also presenting a paradigm shift in the way utilities will need to develop and operate the communications infrastructure, which will be a critical foundational element for enabling smart grid functionality. We believe the evolution to tomorrow's smart grid will present a profound transformation in the way utility companies architect their communications infrastructure.  more...
Article Viewed 2439 Times  |  16 Comments
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