What makes a smart grid infrastructure a success?

Smarter grid infrastructure based on digital and interoperable solutions is essential to the success of the energy transition. The report analyses a range of enabling technologies: transmission innovation, grid-scale storage services, electric vehicles smart charging, advanced meter infrastructure and home energy management systems).

What can smart grids do for Europe?

Project results provide an encouraging indication of how smart grids can help integrate more renewables, accommodate electric vehicles, give more control to consumers over their energy consumption, avoid blackouts and restore power quickly when outages occur. How can you contribute to this Europe-wide effort?

Are smart grid projects transforming Europe?

At this stage, smart grid (SG) projects are playing a key role in shedding light on how to move forward in this challenging transition. In 2011, therefore, the JRC launched the first comprehensive inventory of smart grid projects in Europe to collect lessons learned and assess current developments [EC JRC 2011].

What are the key capabilities of a smart grid system?

Key capabilities of the smart grid system include the integration and aggregation of (i) distributed energy resources (distributed generation – DG, electric vehicle – EV), (ii) demand response (DR) and (iii) large-scale renewable energy sources (RES) [Battaglini et al. 2010, Wissner 2011, Wolfe 2008].

Are smart grids a key component of the EU energy strategy?

Intelligent electricity networks — smart grids — are a key component in the EU energy strategy. In the last few years, smart grid projects have been growing in number, size and scope throughout Europe. Where are they taking place? What are they about? Who is leading them? What progresses have we made?

What is the European Communication on smart grids?

The European Communication on smart grids [EC, 2011] further underlines the importance of consumer awareness and emphasises how ‘developing smart grids in a competitive retail market should encourage consumers to change behaviour, become more active and adapt to new ‘smart’ energy consumption patterns’ [EC 2011, p10].