New Study Unveils Industry Perspective on Smart Grid Deployment

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 10:51

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A new study by Penton Research and T&D World investigated perceptions surrounding deployment of the nation’s smart grid. Commissioned by S&C Electric Company, the study also focused on the outlook of managers, engineers and consultants in the electric utility industry.

Asked to identify the top benefits of smart grid deployment, 68 percent of respondents said electricity reliability and 65 percent said efficiency. Power stability came in third with only 39 percent.

Eighty-on percent of respondents said communications was the most important technology to deliver the benefits promised by the smart grid, followed by cyber-security and smart power flow 75 and 70 percent respectively. Energy storage, enterprise software and home automation were designated the least important.

Even though the public has a significant awareness of smart meters, two out of three participants in the study do not believe the right infrastructure is in place for smart meters to succeed. Respondents also relegated smart meters to fourth on the list of technologies needed to capture the benefits of the smart grid. The technologies perceived as underfunded included energy storage, security, and self-healing/distribution automation. The biggest hurdles seen facing smart technology was high costs, lack of adequate incentives and IT security concerns.

What also emerged from the study was that power engineers, utility consultants, energy managers feel a lack of support for the transmission and distribution aspects if the smart grid and that too much attention is given smart meters. In addition, a majority of respondents felt the government’s policy makers were under-committed to building a smart grid.

S&C CEO John Estey said he felt a key insight from the survey “is the industry’s call to focus smart grid investments on the reliable and efficient delivery of electricity, two of the major benefits to be gained from an intelligent grid. S&C understands these industry needs,” he said. “We have a proven track record of developing and deploying technology that makes the complex distribution grid more reliable and allows it to self-heal in the event of a power disturbance, both critical requirements of the smart grid.”

Kristin Letourneau, Penton Research’s associate director added that the findings indicated “a need for better communication, understanding and alignment among energy professionals, government officials and the general public on the benefits of and requirements for achieving a smart grid. This survey provides a great foundation for a richer dialogue on the issues that matter most to the people truly responsible for implementing the smart grid.”

To view the full study, visit www.sandc.com/smartgridsurvey.