IEEE provides leadership for smart grid initiative

As the smart grid development program has become a top priority — to move nations toward energy independence and environmentally sustainable economic growth — IEEE and other prominent organizations are working in collaboration to create a framework of standards that will bring together numerous industries, including power, security, technology, manufacturing, government, and communications toward furtherance of this vision.

In the U.S., Dr. E. James Prendergast, Executive Director of IEEE, participated in a recent Smart Grid Leadership meeting, organized by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Energy Secretary Steven Chu, which brought together industry leaders to share their vision on how to utilize standards to create a roadmap for successful smart grid implementation.

"IEEE is excited to be a central force in the smart grid initiative, as it will be impactful to life as we know it," commented Dr. Prendergast. "In the future, the smart grid is going to be the infrastructure that powers our daily lives. Not only will the smart grid be able to grow with our evolving energy needs as new technologies enter the power equation, but it will also help reduce blackouts and energy pollution as well. This is something that will benefit humanity on many levels, for developed and developing nations alike."

IEEE is engaged in a number of smart grid initiatives globally. On May 4, IEEE announced a smart grid initiative for the power engineering, communications and information technology industries with the launch of a project to create "The IEEE Standard 2030 Guide for Smart Grid Interoperability of Energy Technology and Information Technology Operation with the Electric Power System (EPS) and End-Use Applications and Loads."

The IEEE-SA P2030 guide will provide a knowledge framework for understanding and defining smart grid interoperability of the electric power system with end use applications, setting the stage for future standards related to the smart grid. The kickoff meeting of this standards body will take place at Intel's headquarters in Santa Clara, CA, June 3-5.

"In order for the smart grid to be successful, there needs to be a set of well-established standards in place that all industries and organizations involved can utilize," said Dr. W. Charlton Adams, Jr., President, IEEE Standards Association. "IEEE, with over 375,000 members among the academic, government and private sectors worldwide, is in a unique position to bring everyone together to collaborate to create this standard foundation. Working hand in hand with other leading organizations to create one set of standards for the smart grid is the way we can ensure success."

Nearly 2,500 papers focused on smart grid have been published in over 40 IEEE journals to date. To provide a primary source for the various smart grid facets such as design, implementation, and utilization, IEEE is creating a single Smart Grid Transaction - intended as a cross disciplinary and international archival journal aimed at disseminating results of research on smart grid. This integration of information will be vital to the careers of researchers and engineers involved in the development of smart grid technologies. Launch of the new Smart Grid Transaction is scheduled for 2010.

At the forefront of this emerging initiative, IEEE's Power & Energy Society (PES) sponsors an Intelligent Grid Coordinating Committee. This committee serves to address the technologies that apply to activities within the IEEE PES, identify opportunities for their future applications, and provide a forum for the free exchange of information.

IEEE hosts many conferences and meetings throughout the world where information and best practices are exchanged. Over the last four years, over 100 smart grid technical sessions have been offered with growing interest. Examples of upcoming IEEE hosted conferences with smart grid activities include:

• At IEEE PowerTech 2009 in Bucharest, Romania June 28-July 2, scientists and engineers throughout Europe will gather to discuss topics such as artificial intelligence techniques in power systems, developing the concept of smart grids and restructuring of the electricity industry and transnational networks.

• IEEE PES will hold a meeting July 26-30, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada focused on the theme, "Investment in Workforce and Innovation for Power Systems", with major focus on Smart Grid including an in depth look at subjects such as integrating renewables and storage into the grid.

• The IEEE PES/IAS Conference on Sustainable Alternative Energy in Valencia, Spain September 28-30, will advance the smart grid discussion and development by focusing on the implications of a high penetration of wind power and other alternative energy on transmission and distribution networks; as well as that of distributive generation.

• Following on the unqualified success of the IEEE PES-sponsored Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference (APPEEC 2009), plans are underway for APPEEC 2010, which will be held March 28-March 31, 2010 in Chengdu, China and which will offer a substantive smart grid "track" covering topics such as operation and control, distributed generation, smart meters and renewable energy applications.

Policy development is occurring worldwide to address environmental concerns and increase energy independence. Smart grid is a significant technological enabler allowing consumers to participate in energy usage decisions while optimizing grid operations, enhancing grid security, and opening new markets for alternative energy production.

"IEEE has been providing leadership for smart grid development and continues to build upon its vast membership, expertise, materials and conference venues to facilitate understanding," said Wanda Reder, President, IEEE PES and NTDC (New Technology Directions Committee) Smart Grid Chair. "IEEE is leveraging its strong foundation and collaborating to evolve standards, share best practices, publish developments and provide related educational offerings to advance technology and facilitate successful deployments throughout the world."