Smart Grid

An electrical grid designed in such a way that controlling computer systems can monitor conditions across the grid and respond to them in such a way that service remains reliable and as affordable as possible.

Significance

As electricity consumption continues to climb, peak conditions have resulted in loss of service in high population regions, such as the infamous rolling blackouts in California. A smart grid seeks to impose greater efficiency and demand control across the entire grid system. In the future, the smart grid will reach into each home, allowing consumers to have greater control over their energy usage and allocate their peak usage at home to non-peak times on the grid, hopefully realizing cost savings thereby. Many companies are exploring ways to deliver on this smart grid vision.

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