S&C Electric Company has introduced a turnkey energy storage project that will enable Southern California Edison (SCE) reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.  The new technology is the result of a contract SCE awarded S&C to furnish a Storage Management System (SMS) on Catalina Island, which is located off the coast of Southern California. The Smart Grid SMS is a fast-responding automatic controller that uses built-in intelligence to control charging and discharging of sodium-sulfur batteries.

Globally, smart meters are amongst the fastest growing markets over the last couple of years. The extension of automated meter reading (AMR) is a smart meter; it comprises the whole range of metering devices, software, and communication media. The CMFE (Chemical, Material, Food and Energy) practice at Markets and Markets is pleased to announce its “Analyst Briefing Presentation” on the “Global Smart Meter Market by Shipments, Types, Geography, Applications, Regulations Market Trends & Forecasts: (2011-2016)” to be held on June 21, 2011.

Korea Electric Power Corporation is to invest in developing smart grid technology. State-owned Korea Electric Power Corporation has announced plans to invest $1.8bn in smart grid technology as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions. In addition, the corporation has recently joined IBM’s Global Intelligent Utility Network Coalition, signaling an intention to be among the world leaders in the development and deployment of smart grid technology.

Vancouver, Cisco and Pulse Energy are collaborating to develop Vancouver’s goals of advancing clean technology, developing a network of specialized partners, and improving energy efficiency and management.  Beginning in 2010, the three partners implement technologies for building-energy management, home-energy management, urban carbon-footprint reduction, and data center efficiency.

The state-of-the-art Hydrogen Assisted Renewable Power (HARP) energy storage project in British Columbia is now operational and supplying power to the remote community of Bella Coola. The HARP system is expected to reduce Bella Coola’s annual diesel consumption by 200,000 litres, which will lower greenhouse gas emissions by 600 tons annually. The project, a partnership between BC Hydro, GE, and Powertech, is supported by British Columbia and Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).

A new study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) presents a practical methodology to evaluate the carbon-reducing potential of new technologies, giving businesses, policy makers, and the utility industry a common yardstick for assessing carbon emissions savings from an array of smart solutions.

UK-based Intamac Systems Limited has received a £4 million investment from Carbon Trust Investments Ltd, Seraphim Capital and Chandos Fund, to support development of their new online smart meter service to remotely control and manage home energy use.

Vancouver start-up Empower Software has been named a finalist in the Quest for Canada’s Greenest IT award for their portable energy management software for the smart grid. Empower’s SmartHome allows consumers to monitor their home energy consumption in real time without the need of an additional in home display. Empower’s demand response applications have shown to reduce power consumption up to 20 percent when consumers use a PC or a smart phone to view usage.

Cavet Technologies Inc. has launched the LumiSmart Intelligent Lighting Controller (ILC) that dramatically reduces the power consumed by fluorescent lighting systems. The solution is designed for industrial, commercial and institutional properties. The LumiSmart ILC will be produced at Celestica’s Toronto manufacturing facility. Cavet says the solution will create jobs, prompt new investments and meets the energy conservation objectives established by the Ontario Green Energy Act.

Large format battery developer Planar Energy has received $4 million from the United States Department of Energy. The grant was announced in Washington, D.C., by Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu at a Recovery Act Cabinet meeting. It was awarded as part of the DOE’s Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) initiative to promote transformational energy research projects.