The smart grid, also called intelligent network, which a few months ago still seemed to be a sweet technological dream, is drawing increasingly closer to reality.
This technology aims to interconnect smart electricity meters to a general information system in order to regulate consumption of the electricity produced by renewable energies. These smart meters thus allow energy resources to be optimised by offering towns and households the possibility of self-managing their energy requirements.
In England, EDF Energy Network has just announced its "smart grid" project to manage renewable energy demand in the city of London, notably by integrating the meters from electric vehicle charging stations into the electricity network.
Supported by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, the group is looking to obtain assistance from British energy regulator Ofgem’s "Low Carbon Network Fund". This £500m fund launched a call for projects aiming to support initiatives in terms of "smart grid" tests.
This initiative corresponds to that of the research fund from ADEME (the Environment and Energy Management Agency) in France, which has just publicised some of the intelligent network projects that have been accepted. These different initiatives plan to install computerised electricity distribution networks in defined zones, which are capable of storing the energy produced and of redistributing it during off-peak hours for better resource management.
For example, this is the case with the REFLEXE project, being tested by, among others, Veolia environnement and Alstom power. Independent energy producers will be able to connect to the same network through a computerised management station in order to “balance demand depending on electricity supply capacities".
The worldwide movement towards renewable energies
The smart grid is now fully integrated into renewable-energy promotion policies. It’s a solution that, in fact, allows for the regulation of the electricity produced from solar and wind energies, which are structurally unpredictable production means.
On this subject, there is a notable initiative in the Czech Republic. While most electricity is currently produced by large fossil- or nuclear-powered water plants, the government is counting on the “Smart Grids" project in order to increase its recourse to green energies, by integrating electricity fluxes from renewable sources.
In addition, North Korea is currently testing an intelligent electricity network on the island of Jeju, south of the capital. The government is relying on the creation of intelligent electricity networks in order to reduce its CO2 emissions by 150 million tons by 2013.
Finally, let’s remember that, in Europe, the 3rd energy and climate package anticipates providing intelligent meters to 80% of users by 2020. And the United States has allocated $11bn (£7.6bn) to smart grids in the framework of its Green Recovery programme.
