Scope

What does all this mean for the electricity distribution grids?

If the electricity consumption and the number of decentralized generators increases dramatically, the additional need for capacity can be solved in two possible ways: The first –simple but very expensive- way is to increase capacity by doubling or tripling existing cables, transformers etc. especially on Low- and Medium-Voltage level. The second –intelligent- way is to utilize today’s grid capacity more efficiently by installing control intelligence in those voltage levels or in other words to establish “Smart Grids”.

Therefore ”Smart Grids“ are the main subject of today’s discussion about distribution grids in the future. There is a real hype regarding this topic, but in a quite unstructured and unsorted way. Since we have seen many hypes (like fuel cells, power line communication and so on) come and gone in the distribution grid business in the past the question to answer is, whether and how smart technologies will influence the distribution grids sustainable (on long term ) or whether they are just another hype forgotten in ten years.

Members

Roberto Calone

Enel Distribuzione - Italy

Helfried Brunner

Austrian Institute of Technology - Austria

Yves Chollot

Schneider Electric - France

Heiko Englert

Siemens AG - Germany

Dick Kronman

ABB - Finland

Pierre Mallet

ERDF - France

Carlos Mota Pinto

EDP Distribuição - Energia, S.A - Spain

Holger Müller

Siemens AG - Germany

Dave Openshaw

EDF Energy - United Kingdom

Jarmo Partanen

Lappeenranta University of Technology - Finland

Fabrizio Pilo

University of Cagliari - Italy

Markus Zdrallek

Bergische Universität Wuppertal - Germany

Click here to download the final report

CIRED WG Smart Grids - Final Report

Download PDF