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Concept
Smart grid
Summary
A smart grid is an electrical grid which includes a variety of operation and energy measures including:
Advanced metering infrastructure (of which smart meters are a generic name for any utility side device even if it is more capable e.g. a fiber optic router)
Smart distribution boards and circuit breakers integrated with home control and demand response (behind the meter from a utility perspective)
Load control switches and smart appliances, often financed by efficiency gains on municipal programs (e.g. PACE financing)
Renewable energy resources, including the capacity to charge parked (electric vehicle) batteries or larger arrays of batteries recycled from these, or other energy storage.
Energy efficient resources
Electric surplus distribution by power lines and auto-smart switch
Sufficient utility grade fiber broadband to connect and monitor the above, with wireless as a backup. Sufficient spare if "dark" capacity to ensure failover, often leased for revenue.
Electronic power conditioning and control of the production and distribution of electricity are important aspects of the smart grid.
Smart grid policy is organized in Europe as Smart Grid European Technology Platform. Policy in the United States is described in § 17381.
Roll-out of smart grid technology also implies a fundamental re-engineering of the electricity services industry, although typical usage of the term is focused on the technical infrastructure.
Concerns with smart grid technology mostly focus on smart meters, items enabled by them, and general security issues.
Smart grids could also monitor/control residential devices that are noncritical during periods of peak power consumption, and return their function during nonpeak hours.
The first alternating current power grid system was installed in 1886 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. At that time, the grid was a centralized unidirectional system of electric power transmission, electricity distribution, and demand-driven control.
In the 20th century, local grids grew over time and were eventually interconnected for economic and reliability reasons.
Official source
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