Smart grid revolutionises the electricity market

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Is smart grid the technology that will result in consumers eventually abandoning the national electricity grid and managing on electricity generated in the home? Or is the most important function of smart grid to link up the electricity grid on a global level and facilitate investment in renewable energy sources alongside traditional sources? The one thing the experts are agreed on is that smart grid is set to revolutionise the electricity market.

"It will be extremely interesting in the future as the price of electricity rises and a situation is reached where it could very definitely be profitable to use electricity more intelligently," states Lina Bertling, Professor of Sustainable Power Systems at Chalmers and Chair for the international IEEE Conference on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies. "Smart grid will pave the way for greater diversity and prevent us from following just one specific track. This is a possible line of development in an electricity market of the future where a greater proportion of electricity is derived from sun, wind and water."

Development within this area has definitely gathered momentum. On October 10-13, almost 400 researchers, decision-makers and industry representatives will meet at the conference, which will be held at Chalmers in Gothenburg. The aim is to exchange information about what is happening in the field and to present research results and demonstration projects.

"Smart grid is already a reality. At the conference we will hear about current and planned projects from around the world. One example from Sweden is the planning of the new Djurgårdsstaden area of Stockholm, where smart grid is an obvious and integral part," says Lina Bertling.

This field is interdisciplinary, involving electric power, control technology and IT. In addition, agreements are required governing cross-border rules for global co-ordination.

The significant progress made by electric-powered vehicles is one of the biggest changes in society and the electricity systems of the future - an area that is top of the electricity industry agenda. Bo Normark, former head of marketing for ABB's power transmission systems, now President of Power Circle, is one of the speakers from the large number of major companies involved in the conference.

Lina Bertling is convinced that smart grid will be a vital element in handling the large number of electric-powered vehicles which in the future must replace present-day petrol vehicles. But this is just one of the functions of smart grid.

"Owners of houses and apartments will also be affected in a variety of ways. A smart grid must be based on the existence of intelligent, cost-effective solutions that offer the customer totally new potential for influencing use and thus the cost of electricity. Access to more information allows customers to decide to a greater extent on their level of consumption and the electricity meter will have a key role to play. If this is to work a new generation of white goods will be required. The necessary technology already exists and what are required now are communication standards between the products and the customers' electricity meters.

The conference at Lindholmen Science Park will commence at 9.30 am on Monday, October 11 and will be opened by, among others, Alan Rotz, President of IEEE Power & Energy Society, and the President of Chalmers Karin Markides.