A Smart Grid to connect us all

If words equaled deeds then smart meters and smart grids would be everywhere.
 
Has any subject generated so much-and no pun intended-energy in so little time? I doubt it, but I do hope that it means we're getting closer to real smart grids in Australia.
 
In fact I'm hoping that the Residential Energy Management workshop I just took part in might help get us there even sooner.
 
The Copper Development Centre convened a meeting of a number of like-minded people and organizations to really look at what are the potentials and barriers to creating better energy management in our homes.

At the moment energy losses in the home represent about 40% of the overall network losses, and our consumption behaviour is adding to the need for a significant excess capacity in the system.
 
This is a subject we need to solve, but we need to do it by including everyone in the system so that we get sustainable, smart, workable solutions.
 
Our group met knowing that the Rudd Government has proposed around $100 million in a 'SmartGrid, SmartCity' initiative to really look at broad reform issues.
 
That's encouraging, but we need to be discussing some of the basic issues now. And one of the most basic is the issue of standards.
 
So often anything connected to new technologies gets kidnapped by the technology itself once it?s out of the bottle. And that can often mean chaos, proprietary processes, commercial barriers and a fragmented market.
 
We have a chance with smart grids and smarter homes to sort out how it should happen, making sure we lock in a open platform that has broad sign on.
 
And that can only mean we all benefit.

John Fennell
jjfennell@copperdev.com