The Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) drew nearly twice as many attendees to this year’s annual conference compared to meetings held in years past. Attendees ventured to New Orleans for two days of an executive industry forum plus a day-long technical workshop and exclusive Vendor Expo. The conference, which was held in The InterContinental Hotel…
We need a smarter, greener grid, but how?
This article, from Foley and Lardner LLP, is authored by David Zoppo. There is no denying that the U.S. electrical grid is in need of replacing, but the route to achieving that goal is unclear. The EPA added another curve in June 2014 with its proposed and highly controversial Clean Power Plan, which requires the…
Japan’s $21-million microgrid investment is boosting renewables’ sector
Japan’s increased focus on smart grid deployment, as part of its plans to boost energy efficiency and power generation from renewable sources, will drive the country to become one of Asia-Pacific’s top markets in smart grid development, says research and consulting firm GlobalData. The company’s latest report states that Japan was among the first countries…
S&C adds tools to optimize smart grid efficiency
In conjunction with DistribuTECH 2013, S&C Electric Company has introduced new smart grid tools. The company says they will improve the efficiency and performance of utility power systems. The additions to S&C’s smart grid portfolio include new radios, controls and software that make it easier to deploy and manage the latest grid-based technologies for intelligent power…
Grid plan to smartly connect 11 utilities across 5 states
Software that lets a utility in Washington cut power consumption by up to 50% will soon get a big test. This demonstration is part of a project that will attempt to knit together aging and fragmented grid infrastructure across five states and 11 utilities. The project will involve 95 smaller efforts to integrate wind power,…
H2 generator stabilizes utility grid
A developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel-cell products says it has completed a trial with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) demonstrating the viability of its electrolyzer for utility-scale grid stabilization. During the trial period, the load from a Hydrogenics’ HyStat electrolyzer provided frequency regulation in Ontario by responding to power regulation signals…
More ideas for the smart grid
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced new initiatives to support development of the smart grid. He also warned that the country is not doing enough to get the grid ready for renewable energy. He acknowledged that privacy concerns are making some utility customers wary of recent smart meters, which are a key component…
$50 million Smart Grid initiative for research and demo projects
Executives from the Ontario Clean Technology Alliance attended the 2011’s Energy, Utility & Environment Conference in Phoenix to invite environmental technology companies from around the world to participate in the Province of Ontario’s clean technology revolution. The Canadian province offers North America’s most advanced green energy policies, targeted incentives and a generous Feed-in Tariff (FIT)…
Fed identifies five sets of standards for Smart Grid
The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has advised the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that it has identified five “foundational” sets of standards for Smart Grid interoperability and cyber security that are ready for consideration by federal and state energy regulators. The standards, produced by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), focus…
NIST forms Smart Grid Advisory committee
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has named 15 leaders from a cross-section of U.S. industry, academia, and trade and professional organizations to serve on its recently formed Smart Grid Advisory Committee. A first meeting convened in late September. “We will benefit greatly from the knowledge and insights of this diverse group of…
NIST finishes smart grid security guidelines
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has finalized its initial set of smart grid cyber security guidelines. Issued as NIST’s Guidelines for Smart Grid Cyber Security (NISTIR7628), the document includes high-level security requirements, a framework for assessing risks, an evaluation of privacy issues in personal residences, and other information for organizations to use to…
Purchase of SCADA tech puts smart grid in reach
CG Automation, a subsidiary of MSE Power Systems Inc., has acquired ADMS Wind SCADA and wind-turbine-monitoring systems from Second Wind Systems Inc. Combining SCADA with its expertise in utility automation, MSE Power Systems and CG Automation can offer more reliable, interconnections for smart-grid designs. CG Automation provides automation products and systems to electric utilities and…
A-star and four industry players to develop smart-grid equipment
Groundbreaking began for the Experimental Power Grid Center (EPGC) on Jurong Island, Singapore, for an R&D facility that will function as a laboratory for smart-grid tech. Four companies – Rolls Royce, Vestas, SP PowerGrid, and CEI Contract Manufacturing – have partnered with the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A-Star) to develop smart grid and…
DOE selects partners for $178M smart grid demo
The Department of Energy (DOE) selected a Pacific Northwest team including information services company 3TIER to conduct a regional smart-grid demonstration. The project will test new smart grid technologies including devices, software, and advanced analytical and forecasting tools that enhance the power grid’s reliability and performance. The Northwest study will involve more than 60,000 metered…
IBM and Cisco Develop Amsterdam’s Smarter Energy Project
Cisco and IBM have announced they are teaming on a pilot to help the utility for the city of Amsterdam to make better use of energy by letting consumers make more informed decisions about their energy consumption. The pilot program is part of the Amsterdam Smart City initiative, in which citizens, governments, and companies are…
Renewable Grid Initiative Launched in Europe
Transmission system operators in Europe and nongovernmental organizations there have formed the Renewables-Grid-Initiative (RGI). It will call for a mandate for energy regulators to spur development of a European grid that can transmit power from wind farms and other renewable generators. “The Renewables-Grid Initiative sets the ground for speeding investments in grid infrastructure, to integrate…
Complete smart grid solution
Providing utility companies with a reliable, accurate and energy-efficient smart grid solution for electricity line monitoring, Optisense Network, Inc. has selected Texas Instruments Incorporated’s embedded processing and analog technology as the preferred solution for its primary measuring units (PMU). TI’s TMS320C2000TM microcontroller and high-performance analog technology enables a complete monitoring solution that gives utilities real-time…