Smart Grid Blog

What’s the definition of a smart city? According to San Diego, it’s one that promotes sustainability and the growth of green jobs, as per the city’s Smart City San Diego collaborative. This group, formed in January 2011, is made up of city of San Diego, GE, UC San Diego, CleanTech San Diego and San Diego Continue reading →

SmartSynch announced today the opening of offices in Silicon Valley, California and Shenzhen, China. The expansion is the result of a record growth year for the company in 2011, which included Consumers Energy’s selection of SmartSynch last September for their system-wide 1.8 million residential and commercial SmartMeter(TM) deployment throughout Michigan. via SmartSynch Opens Offices in Continue reading →

One of the world’s largest banks, London-based HSBC (NYSE: HBC) issued last September a very interesting research report entitled “Sizing the Climate Economy”. At less than 60 pages, it’s an excellent read for those interested in the future growth of the advanced energy economy.  There are really too many highlights to capture all of them in this Continue reading →

A new report by Pike Research indicates that the smart water meter market will experience steady growth over the next five years, driven by an aging system infrastructure, the need by utilities to operate their systems more efficiently, and by an increasing global demand for water. Pike’s study found that the global installed base of Continue reading →

It’s that time of year for annual predictions. CNN’s doing it. The New York Times is doing it. So, why not us at POWERGRID International magazine? Keeping the concept to our own power industry, what will be on the horizon in 2012? The obvious choice is: more smart grid. A lot more. That’s a bit Continue reading →

A new study from Lucintel has the global smart grid market reaching $57 billion by 2016 – representing a compound annual growth rate of 13% over the next five years. Whether you’re a high school student or mid-career professional looking for ways to kick start a career in this growing sector, we’ve put together a Continue reading →

A US energy efficiency firm whose fans include Barack Obama and David Cameron is now looking to transfer its rapid growth across the Atlantic to Europe. Opower has expanded to be worth an estimated $1bn after signing contracts with 60 US utilities, including eight of the 10 largest in the country, since being established in Continue reading →

Sustainable urban development is a new way of thinking for American cities. Technology is emerging to help planners, architects and residents make the transition — and address the converging pressures of rapid growth and decaying infrastructure. The question isn’t whether to use technology to make cities more sustainable, it’s how best to use it. Three Continue reading →

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. Lucintel, a leading global management consulting and market research firm, has analyzed the global smart Continue reading →

Sales of semiconductors used in smart electricity meters are projected to grow to $1.1 billion in 2016 from $505.6 million in 2011, due to rapid growth expected for the devices, according to market research firm IHS iSuppli. IHS projects that global shipments of smart meters will triple during the same period, reaching 62 million units Continue reading →

American history buffs and foodies know the story of the three sisters of agriculture, a brilliant combinatorial planting technique practiced by Native Americans.  This uniquely American agricultural invention elegantly illustrates the concept of synergy.  Synergy is defined as the interactions of two or more things combined to produce something greater than their separate efforts could Continue reading →

The city of Leesburg is modernizing the city’s electric grid with advanced technologies designed to power 21st century economic growth, increase energy efficiency, improve power reliability and empower its consumers. GE’s Grid IQ(TM): Solutions as a Service offering, an integrated grid modernization solution specifically designed for small to mid-sized utilities, will enable the city to Continue reading →

Several key smart grid areas will experience growth in 2012, according to predictions made by IDC Energy Insights. These fields include smart meters, distribution automation (DA), plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and lithium-ion batteries. The predictions, which were presented by the global market research and analysis firm during a webcast Tuesday, include the following… via Renew Continue reading →

A new era of renewable energy has dawned, a panel of experts pointed out at a round table session on ‘Cost vs Benefits of Non Fossil Fuels’ at the 20th World Petroleum Congress yesterday while urging more emphasis on innovation and new technologies. via Gulf Times – Qatar’s top-selling English daily newspaper – Qatar.

At Connectivity Week earlier this year, I was asked to moderate a panel titled, “What is ADR and Why Should I Care?” Demand response programs have been around for decades, primarily as interruptible programs, but technological advances including Internet, smart metering, and reduced cost control have reduced barriers to entry, and increased interest in demand-side Continue reading →

With demand for energy consumption projected to greatly increase, the utility industry is looking for ways to improve the efficiency, predictability and reliability of their networks. Smart grids are being developed as a means to service those requirements as well as to lay the foundation for future growth. via Test Tools Help Identify and Eliminate Continue reading →

The Federal Regulatory Energy Commission recently passed a mandate to support energy storage technologies that can provide quick bursts of power to the grid to help it run more smoothly. This new rule could play a crucial role in nurturing the growth of the young energy storage market, though energy storage companies won’t be the only beneficiaries Continue reading →

The Smart Grid is meant to help consumers regulate their personal power consumption and to help utilities meet the projected power demands that will come with the growth in use of electrically-powered vehicles. Countries across the globe are investing in the technology necessary to implement the Smart Grid, including New Zealand, Germany, Spain, the United Continue reading →

Emerson Process Management’s new Smart Energy Initiative is a global program designed to combine its industrial energy expertise with advanced energy management technologies to enable customers to leverage more renewable fuels, lower energy costs, and reduce emissions. Emerson is focused on an estimated US$2 billion market that is poised for strong growth as refineries, manufacturers, Continue reading →

A provider of smart grid software platform, eMeter recently announced that it will bring the Portuguese language version of its eMeter EnergyIP solution to the Brazilian market. eMeter’s EnergyIP software has already been introduced in European, Asian and North American markets. 40 customers in 11 countries, according to eMeter, are using the solution as the Continue reading →