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.
The smart grid will include systems for estimating power generated from renewable resources, sensors for the advanced monitoring of grid volumes and interaction with power generators to provide advanced regulation of input flows.
It will also include a storage facility using lithium-ion battery technology with a capacity of 0.7 megawatt to modulate flows of electricity, built by Siemens, recharging stations for electric vehicles and equipment installed in homes to allow customers to monitor their consumption.
Enel is also currently implementing a 10-year restructuring of its distribution network of over 1 million kilometers, coordinated with programmes for encouraging the introduction of smart grids launched by the European Commission.
