News
Prime-enabled smart grid for Spain - February 20, 2012
Iberdrola has announced an expansion of their industry benchmark Star Project (Network Remote Management and Automation Systems) which was launched in Castellon, Spain in 2010...
Microgrids revenue to reach $17.3 Billion by 2017 - February 20, 2012
According to a new report from Pike Research, microgrid capacity worldwide will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 22% over the next five years, reaching 4.7 gigawatts by 2017...
“Packet” based power delivery system for EVs - February 17, 2012
There is a lot of interesting working going on in this field in New Zealand and China. A number of companies are recognizing that the electric vehicle may be the ideal “packet” based power delivery system, which has the added advantage of...
Smart pilot goes ahead in Ireland - February 16, 2012
The enterprise committee gave its backing to a pilot scheme for a "smart" energy grid, on 2 February 2012...
Smart Technology Helps Reduce Peak Energy Use - February 15, 2012
Approximately 6,000 residential customers of Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E) have participated in the company’s final year of its two-year demand response study...
Smart appliances and online games saving electricity - February 13, 2012
GE Appliances and Georgia-based Flint Energies have started a pilot program to find the potential for smart appliances to save consumers money and reduce peak loads when coupled with peak time rebates...
SGCC Consumer Pulse Study - February 10, 2012
According to a national survey of U.S. energy consumers which was conducted for the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC) by Market Strategies International, many non-financial benefits of smart grid upgrades are as compelling as those that can save consumers money...
Smart meter installation in Tokyo - February 9, 2012
In a bid to increase efficiency, Japan's Tokyo Electric Power plans to install 17 million smart meters in customer households by March 2019...
Smart Grid Implementation increases 25% in the past year - February 8, 2012
The Ministry of Economic Development today released its latest installment of the New Zealand Energy Outlook. New Zealand’s Energy Outlook 2011 presents long-term forecasts of energy supply, demand, prices and energy sector greenhouse gas emissions...
Smart meter opt-out programs spread across North America - February 7, 2012
Atlanta based research company Chartwell has released a new report ‘Smart Meter Opt-Out Programs 2012’ which indicates that to defuse opposition from smart meter opponents and allow utility companies to move forward with grid modernization plans, utility leaders need to consider...
New Zealand Energy Outlook 2011 - February 6, 2012
The Ministry of Economic Development today released its latest installment of the New Zealand Energy Outlook. New Zealand’s Energy Outlook 2011 presents long-term forecasts of energy supply, demand, prices and energy sector greenhouse gas emissions...
Home Automation Service Strategies - February 6, 2012
Technology market research firm Infonetics Research recently surveyed broadband operators who are deploying home automation, or home control, services, about the types of services they plan to offer now and in the future...
OECD publishes report on Internet of Things and M2M - February 3, 2012
Look around you for a second and count the number of electronic devices, machines and gadgets. All of them -- light bulbs, cars, TVs, digital cameras, refrigerators, stereos, cranes, beds – will be connected to...
Call for new apps to address ‘sustainable energy for all’ - February 2, 2012
ITU and Telefónica have announced two challenges to uncover innovative ICT approaches to support the 2012 UN-declared ‘International Year for Sustainable Energy for All’...
Obama’s speech boost for clean energy policies - February 1, 2012
It was very interesting to hear President Obama’s energy proposals in his State of the Union address. He expressed regret, but gone is his plan for an ETS (carbon tax). The focus has now shifted to energy efficiency...
Intelligent PV Integration into the Local Grid - January 31, 2012
Electricity grids are increasingly supported by decentralized energy sources like photovoltaic (PV) systems. To date, PV systems have played a passive role in grid control and injected unregulated real power into the distribution network. As penetration levels of renewables increase, ...
The electricity grids of the future - January 29, 2012
On behalf of the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (Büro für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung beim Deutschen Bundestag, TAB) TÜV SÜD is carrying out a study on Modern Technologies for Grid Optimization...
Utility customers interact using social media - January 26, 2012
According to a new research from Pike Research, approximately 57 million customers worldwide used social media to engage utilities in 2011 and that number is expected to rise to 624 million customers by the end of 2017...
Ongoing British government/industry engagement key to ensuring £938m a year savings are realised - January 23, 2012
Responding to the publication of the Public Accounts Committee’s report on 'Preparations for the roll-out of smart meters', the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers' Association (BEAMA) welcomed the report’s acknowledgement of the potential benefits...
Intelligent PV Integration into the Local Grid - January 23, 2012
Electricity grids are increasingly supported by decentralized energy sources like photovoltaic (PV) systems. To date, PV systems have played a passive role in grid control and injected unregulated real power into the distribution network. As penetration levels of renewables increase...
Smart Grids have strong growth potential in the GCC region - January 18, 2012
A report by Frost & Sullivan has indicated that the Cooperative Council of Arab states in the Gulf (GCC) is expected to invest nearly US $73 Billion in Power Generation and T&D projects and...
Smart grids – a priority in EU research policies - January 17, 2012
The development of smart networks will be of great significance to the European Commission’s proposed research budgets, worth billions of Euros. It will form part of Horizon 2020...
Double digit growth rates for global smart grid market - January 10, 2012
The global smart grid market has experienced double-digit growth rates over the last five years and is expected to continue its growth momentum, reaching approximately US $57 billion by 2016 with a CAGR of 13% over the next five years...
Smart grids accelerate changes in transformation of energy systems - January 9, 2012
The German Bundesnetzagentur has just published a key elements paper entitled 'Smart Grid and Smart Market', which is meant to clarify and shed more light on a sometimes confusing and still somewhat unstructured debate...
Installed Base of Smart Water Meters to Reach Nearly 30 Million Worldwide by 2017 - January 7, 2012
The smart water meter market is poised for steady growth in the coming 5 years, driven by increasing demand for water itself, aging system infrastructure, and a need among utilities to operate their systems much more efficiently...
Consumer Interest in Plug-in Electric Vehicles declining - January 5, 2012
The year 2012 will be an important test of the commercial viability of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Two automakers, Chevrolet and Nissan, ended 2010 with the launch of their first highway-capable PEVs for the mass market...
Top 10 country smart grid spenders - December 29, 2011
Utilities worldwide will collectively invest more than US$378 billion in building electricity smart grids by 2030. But 80% of this capital spend will be concentrated in just ten countries, according to...
ITU approves new smart grid standards - December 28, 2011
New ITU standards for smart grid have achieved final approval and are now available for download. Recommendations ITU-T G.9955 and G.9956 define three international next generation narrowband powerline communications (NB-PLC) standards...
Research to Reduce Costs of Electric Vehicle Chargers - December 27, 2011
As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to reduce America’s dependence on oil through advanced vehicle technologies, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced awards totaling nearly $7 million in research and development funding that will help to reduce...
Another clean energy investment from Google - December 22, 2011
Google made a new $94 million investment in a portfolio of four solar photovoltaic (PV) projects being built by recurrent energy near sacramento, California; this brings their portfolio of clean energy investments to more than $915 million...
Premium prices could stifle EV growth in 2012 - December 21, 2011
New research from Pike Research indicates that many potential buyers will delay purchases of electric vehicles (EVs) during 2012 due to the premium pricing of the vehicles...
Can parallel computing work for smart grid data? - December 20, 2011
Having too much information is a commonly heard complaint today. Yet, in the energy and utility industry, millions of smart meters are being deployed with the promise of providing data at unprecedented levels...
Worldwide Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles Sales - December 19, 2011
According to a new report from Pike Research, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) combined will represent 3.1% of worldwide auto sales by 2017...
Smart grid demonstration project - December 18, 2011
Sixteen European partners from ten countries are now playing a key role in preparing for electricity distribution systems that can utilise more solar and wind energy...
Smart meter roll out in Victoria, Australia will continue - December 17, 2011
The Victorian Government’s review of the Smart Meter program has found the most responsible option is to continue the meter rollout, with improvements which bring greater benefits to households...
Smart Grids have to deliver, otherwise... - December 16, 2011
Utilities in the US state of Illinois will have to prove their smart grid can do what it promises. The state’s two big utilities are rolling out smart grids at the cost of $3.2 billion. The state regulator has agreed that...
Smart grid global investment - December 15, 2011
Market research company, IC Insights has estimated that total global spending on smart grid technologies will reach approximately $100 billion in 2011with annual investments forecast to nearly double to $196.9 billion in 2015...
Denmark’s bid for 100% renewable energy - December 14, 2011
Denmark has long been involved in the renewable energy sector and the implementation of smart grids and meters. About 45% of power is currently derived from coal, a further 20% from oil and gas, and 30% from various renewables...
Toyota Fun-Vii – the smartphone version of the EV - December 13, 2011
Toyota revealed a concept vehicle that heralds a not-too-distant future where people, cars and society are linked...
The shift to electric vehicles - December 11, 2011
As issues ranging from environmental concerns to fluctuating oil prices increasingly push consumers toward alternatives to combustion engines, the world seems poised for an electric vehicle (EV) rebirth...
Nearly 100,000 Vehicles to be Enabled with Vehicle to Grid Technologies by 2017 - December 10, 2011
The batteries used in plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) will be increasingly utilized by property owners and grid operators to provide a wide variety of energy services...
Chinese Smart Electricity Meter Market - December 9, 2011
As part of the research process for the recently published study The World Market for Smart Electricity Meters – 2011, I, along with my colleagues in Shanghai, interviewed many Chinese electricity meter suppliers, specifically about the current smart meter tenders and plans of the SGC (State Grid Corporation)...
Smart Water Meter Market Update - December 8, 2011
The advanced water metering market, estimated at about 5.5 million global shipments in 2010, and anticipated to be roughly 10 million shipments annually in 2016, continues to increase its product share, particularly in North America...
A framework for the evaluation of smart grids in the UK - December 7, 2011
Ofgem has appointed Frontier and EA Technology to develop a framework that will allow smart grid investment opportunities to be evaluated. This report sets out a proposed methodology for developing this framework for consultation...
New law for South Korean smart grid network - December 6, 2011
South Korean president, Lee Myung Bak has passed legislation on smart power grids that came into effect on 25th November as part of a government plan to reduce carbon emissions...
UK’s low carbon London - December 5, 2011
A new project in the UK dubbed Low Carbon London has seen the first smart meters of UK Power Networks' smart grid trial being rolled out to homes across London...
General Electric propose smart grid as-a-service - December 2, 2011
General Electric in conjunction with 3G cellular and Consert is proposing a new smart grid project whereby they will sell smart grid as-a-service...
Customer satisfaction survey for the utility sector - December 1, 2011
A new consumer survey conducted by EcoAlign in conjunction with the Customer Care Research Consortium (CCRC), has found the need for a more nuanced view of customer satisfaction in the utility sector...
ICTS can move the climate change agenda forward - November 30, 2011
Together with a coalition of industry partners, the ITU will be working to convince delegates at the UN COP 17 climate change conference in Durban next week to harness the power of information and communication technology (ICT) to promote mitigation and adaptation to climate change...
Climate warning from International Energy Agency - November 29, 2011
The International Energy Agency (IEA) who have been representing the energy sector for over 40 years, has added its dire warnings regarding the lack of decisive action from countries around the world in relation to urgent change that are needed in the wake of climate change...
Standards for Energy Internet - November 28, 2011
Bruce Nordham of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has developed some very exciting concepts on the networked and telecommunications protocols for the future “Energy Internet” or what he calls “Building Networks”. He rightly recognizes that...
Smart grid security technologies - November 23, 2011
According to a new report from ABI Research, an estimated $590 million was spent on smart grid security technologies in 2010 and by 2016 that number is projected to surpass $2 billion...
Energy Smart Technologies Leadership Forum - November 21, 2011
The 2011 Energy Smart Technologies Leadership Forum recently took place in Portugal and was hosted by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The Forum convened more than 60 thought-leading experts in smart energy from international utilities, technology and service companies, government bodies, finance providers and non-governmental organisations...
Utilities making progress on smart grid cyber security - November 21, 2011
A new report from Pike Research finds that utilities’ cyber security challenges are yet to be resolved. The security vulnerabilities facing the electrical grid have been a major topic of discussion as utilities worldwide move ahead with their smart grid deployment initiatives...
Building the future “Energy Internet” - November 20, 2011
There is a lot of interesting working going on in this field in New Zealand and China. Internet engineers have long recognized the value of packet based networks, as they have many advantages over circuit based network architecture such as...
Stop smart meters? - November 18, 2011
The Stopsmartmeter group in the USA reported that PG&E has begun to remove smart meters due to ‘alleged’ negative health effects...
LAN Energy Efficiency Opportunities Green Paper - November 17, 2011
A paper by our colleagues at Cirrant Partners Inc. highlights the “scotoma” or blind spot of the existing IT Network energy management model and provides a perspective to the future paradigm in IT Network Infrastructure...
New Zealand recharge technology worth $70m in US deal - November 16, 2011
A joint-venture firm established by Auckland University has been bought by US firm Qualcomm after inventing the "Inductive Power Technology" device which allows electric cars to be charged without cables...
Morocco chosen as location for German-led solar farm - November 15, 2011
Morocco has been chosen as the first location for a German-led, €400bn project to build a network of solar and wind farms across North Africa and the Middle East to provide 15% of Europe's electricity supply by 2050...
Smart metering project in Belgium - November 14, 2011
Flemish distribution grid operators EANDIS and INFRAX will start a smart metering pilot project in the Flanders region of Belgium...
Smart Grid pilot project in Austria - November 10, 2011
The town of Eberstalzell has the largest photovoltaic (PV) research power station in Austria and is now also going to be the site of a Smart Grid demonstration system...
End to Smart Grid project in Boulder? - November 9, 2011
A referendum in Boulder, Colorado will decide if the public will take over Xcel Energy, effectively ending one of the most high-profile smart grid projects in the US...
M2M communication nodes - November 8, 2011
According to a new report from Pike Research, increased utility adoption of public wireless networks around the world will drive the cumulative shipment of 73 million cellular M2M communication nodes for use in smart grid applications during the period from 2011 through 2020...
Italy to receive it’s first smart grid - November 7, 2011
Several thousand customers in the southern region of Molise will take part in a 10 million euro ($13.7 million) pilot project when Enel, the distribution arm of Italy's biggest utility starts installing the first smart grid in Italy...
Worldwide smart metering research project - November 4, 2011
A new report commissioned by The European Smart Meter Industry Group (ESMIG) shows that after an independent review of 100 smart meter pilots and roll outs across the world, smart metering installations could cut UK households electricity bills by £938M a year...
Apple building 171 acre solar panel farm - November 3, 2011
Across the street from Apple’s $1 billion data center located in Maiden, North Carolina, the company has apparently started construction for a planned 171 acre solar panel farm. Apple is calling the project, "Project Dolphin Solar Farm A Expanded." Project Dolphin is Apple's code name for its North Carolina data center...
Climate change and ICT - November 2, 2011
Participants at the Broadband Leadership Summit in Geneve in October 2011 encouraged the ITU to continue promoting the key role of ICTs in efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change...
Smart Home Cloud Services - November 1, 2011
A new report from On World Inc titled ‘Smart Home Sensor Networks’ indicates that within the next five years, affordable Smart Home systems will reach tens of millions of homes worldwide...
Cellular Smart Electricity Meter Market - October 26, 2011
A new report from IMS Research titled ‘The World Market for Smart Electricity Meters – 2011’ indicates that advanced electricity meters with integrated cellular communication modules are forecast to...
Worldwide smart electricity meters to reach 602.7 million units in 2016 - October 25, 2011
New research from Berg Insight indicates that the worldwide installed base of smart electricity meters will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 26.6% between 2010 and 2016 to reach 602.7 million...
Using the social Internet as a tool to reward consumers to use solar powered ICT devices - October 24, 2011
Tech companies so far have stumbled when it comes to getting people to be mindful of their energy use and conserve. But a new German startup ‘Changers’ thinks it’s come up with the right incentives to attract the do-gooder crowd: ...
Asia Pacific Investment in Smart Transmission and Distribution Technologies - October 23, 2011
A new report from Pike Research shows that utilities and governments across the Asia Pacific region are seeking to lower the ratio of electricity consumption to economic output, reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions via demand management, and encourage energy efficiency by investing heavily in smart grid technologies...
Brazil – The smart grid network - October 22, 2011
In 2011, Brazil has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Over the next five years, GDP is expected to grow by 5.9% annually, exceeding the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Russia...
Costs of electric vehicles in the US - October 21, 2011
There is a growing interest in electric vehicles (EVs), with many vehicles now being offered and planned for future release. During difficult economic times, the vehicle’s cost will motivate mass adoption of electric cars...
Mexico’s smart grid market forecasts - October 21, 2011
A new report from Northeast Group, LLC titled Mexico Smart Grid Market Forecast (2011-2020) projects the total smart grid market in Mexico will reach a cumulative $8.3 billion by 2020. ..
Smart meter penetration in North America - October 21, 2011
A new report from Berg Insight shows that the installed base of smart electricity meters in North America will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.5% between 2010 and 2016 to reach 87.4 million at the end of 2016...
Smart technology - October 20, 2011
A new report from Ernst & Young shows that the UK Government’s desire for smart meters to be installed in all consumer houses by 2020 means that energy companies need to reinvent their relationship with their customer if they are to deflect competition from potential new entrants such as retailers, technology companies and banks...
The rebound effect and ICT - why free energy may reduce CO2 emissions - October 19, 2011
I have long argued that energy efficiency, as a primary objective, is not sufficient to slow down, never mind reduce CO2 emissions. The pressing challenge facing this planet is not energy consumption but CO2 emissions...
Merger and acquisition deals totalled $2.4 billion - October 18, 2011
According to a new report from Lux Research, merger and acquisition (M&A) deals in the first six months of 2011 have totaled twice those made during 2010...
Electric vehicle realities versus consumer expectations - October 17, 2011
Electric vehicles (EVs) have been around since the earliest days of the automotive industry. In recent years, however, as the price of oil has risen steadily and concerns about the environment have increased, interest in EVs has intensified...
IEEE Guide for Design, Operation, and Integration of Distributed Resource Island Systems with Electric Power Systems - October 16, 2011
Alternative approaches and good practices for the design, operation, and integration of distributed resource (DR) island systems with electric power systems (EPS) are provided in this IEEE standards report (US$75)...
Transforming utilities customer information and billing systems - October 15, 2011
According to a recent report from Pike Research, most utilities will be faced with upgrading or replacing their Customer Information Systems (CIS) and billing systems in the next 10 years...
Power to poorest regions in India - October 14, 2011
In a bid to encourage growth and poverty reduction the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will invest $750 million for power transmission systems that will help India efficiently transfer electricity to regions where the need is greatest...
Smart Grids in Latin America - October 13, 2011
According to General Electric Co. sales of equipment to manage electricity consumption in Latin America may reach $1 billion by 2015, up from $100 million in 2011 as governments require utilities to become more energy efficient...
Bermuda - A National Energy Transition - October 12, 2011
Smart Grid projects in Europe: lessons learned and current developments - October 11, 2011
Prepaid Energy and Low Income Issues - October 10, 2011
India willing to pay higher rates for renewable energy - October 9, 2011
Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator Programme - October 8, 2011
6th Annual Transmission & Distribution Smart Grids Asia (DATE CHANGE TO JANUARY 17-18, 2012) - October 7, 2011
6th Annual Transmission & Distribution Smart Grids Asia (DATE CHANGE TO JANUARY 17-18, 2012) - October 7, 2011
G3-PLC Alliance driving smart grid communications standards - October 6, 2011
Moneybulb: Data analytics and the future of the smart grid - October 5, 2011
Packet Based Energy Delivery Systems - October 3, 2011
Indian Smart Grid market to reach $1.9 billion by 2015 - October 1, 2011
If you have no power, energy efficiency is irrelevant - September 30, 2011
Consumers Reveal the Smart Grid Benefits They Value Most - September 28, 2011
Smart Grid Maturity Model Update 2011 - September 26, 2011
China to deploy 280 million Smart Meters by 2016 - September 23, 2011
U.S. and Europe to collaborate on smart grid standards development - September 22, 2011
Asia starting to explore smart grid technology - September 21, 2011
China lays foundations for a fully modern smart grid - September 21, 2011
IEEE Introduces Advanced Metering Standards for India - September 19, 2011
Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity - September 18, 2011
KEMA's Smart Grid Interop Lab - September 17, 2011
Record level of worldwide smart meter shipments - September 16, 2011
US utilities re-evaluating smart grid infrastructure - September 15, 2011
Smart Grid Australia and the National Broadband Network - September 13, 2011
Benchmarking utility smart grid functionality - September 11, 2011
National smart grid network for the UK - September 9, 2011
Smart Water Metering Market in Europe - September 8, 2011
Tokyo’s smart house - September 6, 2011
