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As the Smart Grid moves from concept to reality, it will not be business-as-usual for the world’s electric utilities. The utility sector will change more in the next 10 years than it has in the past 50 years. This section will lead you to the articles, discussions, white papers and resources to prepare for this tsunami of change.

Results: 1290 results found. You are on page 1 of 52 pages.

A123 Systems scores big win in UK

Smart grid, smart grid technology, energy storage, electric utilities, voltage regulation, renewables integration, smart grid markets
A123 Systems will provide six battery energy storage systems for the UK's largest smart grid project. The systems will be designed for peak load shifting and managing voltage fluctuations in the country's electric grid to maintain stability as more renewable energy sources are added.

New nuclear plants under cost, deadline scrutiny

nuclear power, nuclear plants, southern company nuclear project
With the decision by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday to approve the first new nuclear facility in the U.S. in more than 30 years, the Southern Company project in Georgia will be under a financial and operational microscope. But as Peter Gardett of AOL Energy explains, the long-term outlook for nuclear remains muddy.

EV project in France uses subscription model to optimize impact on grid

Electric vehicles, EVs, V2G, BPL Global EV project, EVs in France, EV charging, impact of EV charging on grid
BPL Global is one of the companies involved in a project in France's rural Alsace region that will supply end users with electric vehicles via a subscription service. The service is supposed to optimize the impact of EV charging on the grid by aggregating the load and storage capacities of the batteries and managing their charging patterns.

Smart grid forecasts: energy storage, hydrokinetics, investments and more

Smart grid, smart grid markets, smart grid technology, smart grid investments, building automation, energy storage, marine and hydrokinetic power
Some days you could spend all of what little reading time you have just getting through all the smart grid market studies, trend reports, forecasts and white papers. We've made the chore a little easier for you with a roundup of six recent releases that caught our eye on topics ranging from smart grid investments to building automation growth.

Smart grid benefits that matter (it's not always about money)

Smart Grid, smart grid benefits, smart grid consumers, smart grid consumer collaborative
Results from the second wave of the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative's Consumer Pulse study reveal that there are smart grid benefits that resonate with consumers beyond reducing their monthly electric bill. SGCC Executive Director Patty Durand outlines the findings and actions her organization is taking in response.

A new smart grid market? Waste heat to power

Smart grid technology, electricity conservation, energy efficiency, smart grid markets, waste heat to power
An organization of U.S. businesses has 're-launched' to act as the leading trade group promoting the development of an American Waste Heat to Power market. The organization will support and promote projects designed to capture waste heat generated by industrial applications and convert it into emissions-free electricity.

Full disclosure from 2012 DistribuTECH's keynote security panel

Smart grid, smart grid security, smart grid strategy
Security expert and SGN contributor Andy Bochman hits the highlights of wide-ranging security panel discussions at the 2012 DistribuTECH conference held recently. He covers a lot of ground, and it's interesting reading.

Is the smart grid industry stalled? Or accelerating?

Smart Grid, smart grid industry, smart meters, smart grid industry stalled
We're getting mixed signals about the vitality of the smart grid market. On the one hand, the recent DistribuTECH conference was one of the most successful ever. On the other, a well-known Wall Street analyst recently told his clients that the smart metering sector is "facing several headwinds," including weak regulatory support in the U.S. and delays in European adoption. Taking the pulse of the smart grid industry is this week's Tuesday Topic.

Energy storage market at the substation level expected to boom

Smart grid, smart grid technology, transmission and distribution, smart grid markets, electric utilities
While energy storage at the distribution substation level isn't big news (or big business) in the smart grid investment environment now, IMS Research predicts revenues will show impressive growth in the sector over the next several years – to the tune of an annual average rate of 50%. Read the story to find out why.

New industry coalition tackles energy efficiency

Smart grid, smart grid technology, energy efficiency, smart buildings, building automation
Texas and Oklahoma are pretty low in the rankings of energy efficient states. But a group of companies, including electric service providers cooperatives, retailers, manufacturers have joined forces to push for advanced building systems and energy-efficient products and services in the region. There's more on the new coalition inside.

Smart meters and Big Data: A clear case for governance best practices

Big Data, smart meters, smart meter governance, smart meter data, IBM smart meter
You'll be hearing a lot more about Big Data - and chances are some of it will come from state regulators. IBM's Sunil Soares expects PUCs will become increasingly assertive about protecting consumers' privacy rights in the context of Big Data. That's one reason, he says, utilities need to heed governance best practices for smart meter data. He suggests four you ought to start with.

Note to utilities: Best-in-class consumer engagement doesn't just happen

Smart Grid, smart grid consumer, smart grid consumer engagement
If utilities want to be best in class at customer engagement, they should look at practices used in competitive service industries to help them tailor their offers and communication strategies to the right segments of the market. That was one of the takeaways from the recent Smart Grid Consumer Symposium. SGCC Executive Director Patty Durand has more.

CPUC agrees to PG&E smart meter opt-out plan – angry meter opponents don't

Smart grid, smart meters, smart meter backlash, policy and regulation, Pacific Gas & Electric
The California Public Utilities Commission today gave a unanimous thumbs up to a Pacific Gas & Electric Company proposal to allow customers to opt out of its smart meter program - if they're willing to pay a fee for that choice. But after a noisy and emotional meeting it was clear that this story is far from over: smart meter opponents are dead set against paying the fees.

Real-life grid security bungles (and the 5 steps that can make them go away)

Smart Grid, smart grid security, utility security
Security veteran Ernie Hayden can tell some scary stories about lax security practices he's been eyewitness to during utility site visits. He worries there's too much emphasis on security compliance rather than true protection on both the physical and cyber fronts. The fix? Click for five steps he believes every utility should take now to 'bake in' security organization-wide.

California moves ahead on setting the standard for energy storage

Smart grid, smart grid technology, energy storage, policy and regulation
Brian Warshay of Lux Research outlines the highlights of a California Public Utilities Commission proposal for an energy storage policy that lays out the barriers to storage adoption – and a roadmap to deal with them. Get the lowdown on why stakeholders should be keeping an eye on this one.

Notes from a security expert sitting on a privacy panel

Smart grid, smart grid security, data privacy, Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative
In this week's blog about his stint on a privacy panel put on by the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative, security ace Andy Bochman ponders why the SGCC needs to exist - and then answers his own question: Without it, there would be no one out there to give consumers a reasoned and sensible alternative to the alarmist ranting they're frequently exposed to in the mainstream media. (And he provides a good example of what he's talking about.)

NREL brings plug and play to smart grid testing

Smart grid, smart grid technology, smart grid testing, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory is building a series of interconnected laboratories where researchers will be able to test new technologies on simulated and real power systems before plugging them into the electric grid. Get more on the story inside.

Providing energy usage data that is truly useful is how to restore consumer trust

Smart meters, smart meter customer benefits, Sentec smart meters, energy usage data, customer energy usage data
As utilities prepare for smart meter roll outs, the CEO of UK-based Sentec suggests a key consideration for the IT infrastructure associated with those roll outs should be the capability to both store data and relay it back to the consumer in an easily digestible format. Click for Mark England's perspective on how to go about that.

Will natural gas kill the smart grid?

Smart Grid, natural gas, will natural gas kill the smart grid
Natural gas is getting so cheap that it may become cheaper and faster to slap up a gas-fired peaking plant than to implement a complicated demand response or renewable project - two of the biggest drivers of a smart grid. Yikes! Will natural gas alternatives make the smart grid too expensive by comparison? That's this week's Tuesday Topic in our discussion forum. Please join in.

How our homes can be both energy smart and a private sanctuary

Smart Grid, smart grid privacy, smart grid data, smart grid consumer privacy, IBM smart grid
A recent IBM global survey showed that up to three-quarters of consumers are concerned about the confidentiality and security of home energy use data. What to do? Matt Futch, Global Policy Director with IBM Energy & Utilities, argues that appropriately designed industry practices and regulatory guidance can help the energy ecosystem protect sensitive information. Click for his examples of how and where it's already happening.

Profile of control center paints picture of future

Smart grid, transmission and distribution, smart grid deployment, smart grid strategy, electric utilities
SGN Chief Analyst Jesse Berst shares a glimpse of a new state-of-the-art transmission control center, which he sees as a view into the future – and the future of distribution operations as well. Click inside to find out why.

Transmission and distribution infrastructure revenues to double by 2020

Smart grid, transmission, transmission investment, global business, smart grid markets
Revenues from transmission and distribution infrastructure investments are expected to more than double over the next several years – from $7.27 billion in 2010 to $15.53 billion in 2020, according to a new analysis from Global Data. The business intelligence company says the increase in demand from emerging economies is primarily responsible for the growth.

Smart Grid Review - December 2011

GlobalData has released its monthly smart grid newsletter for December 2011 from the Smart Grid eTrack, and it is available from Research and Markets. The December newsletter provides insights about cyber security in smart grids in the section "Technology Focus of the Month", along with the review of Trilliant Incorporated in the "Smart Grid Company Focus of the Month" and more.

VC investments in energy: Insights from PwC's Tracy Lefteroff

Smart Grid, smart grid venture capital, VC funding for energy, VC funding for smart grid companies, smart grid companies.
In an interview focused on the state of the VC industry as it relates to energy, Tracy Lefteroff, Global Managing Partner of PwC's venture capital practice, anticipates a flat 2012 in the U.S. Instead, he suggests looking north if you want to see where the dollars are flowing.

Report: More utilities are realizing the benefits of social media

Smart grid, smart grid communications, utility customer engagement, electric utilities, smart grid strategy, utilities and social media
Marketing and advertising companies have been taking advantage of social media for years, and now more and more electric utilities are catching on - using them for their own marketing, communications and business strategies, according to a new white paper from Pike Research. Get more on the story inside.

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Smart Grid: The Tuesday Topic - Smart Grid News - Grid Modernization and the Smart Grid

 THE TUESDAY TOPIC

Is the smart grid industry stalled? Or accelerating?

We're getting mixed signals about the vitality of the smart grid market. On the one hand, the recent DistribuTECH conference was one of the most successful ever. On the other, a well-known Wall Street analyst recently told his clients that the smart metering sector is "facing several headwinds," including weak regulatory support in the U.S. and delays in European adoption. Taking the pulse of the smart grid industry is this week's Tuesday Topic.

Click to the discussion now >>



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