Page 38 - European Energy Innovation - Winter 2016 publication
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38  Winter 2016 European Energy Innovation

    SMART GRIDS

International collaboration to promote
Smart Grid as an enabler for sustainable
development
Electricity system challenges

By Karin Widegren (pictured) Adviser to the Director General at the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate

                The transformation of our
                                                                                                                                  Energy systems to the long-
                                                                                                                                  term energy and climate
                                                                                                                                  policy goals in the EU
                                                                                                                     and worldwide, is one of the most
                                                                                                                     challenging missions of our time. To
                                                                                                                     fulfil these goals, future electricity
                                                                                                                     systems require to be considerably
                                                                                                                     “smarter” than today, substantially
                                                                                                                     changing how electricity systems are
                                                                                                                     planned, operated and controlled.
                                                                                                                     Smart grid is a key enabler in reducing
                                                                                                                     carbon emissions and improving
                                                                                                                     energy efficiency by:

                                                                                                                     •	 facilitating higher penetration of
                                                                                                                         renewable (e.g. wind and solar) by
                                                                                                                         ensuring power system reliability as
                                                                                                                         uncertainty and variability increase;

                                                                                                                     •	 helping consumers participate in
                                                                                                                         the market not only by valuing their
                                                                                                                         flexibility and increasing energy
                                                                                                                         efficiency but also by allowing
                                                                                                                         consumers to act as producers
                                                                                                                         (prosumers) selling back their
                                                                                                                         excess electricity;

                                                                                                                     •	 managing challenges posed on the
                                                                                                                         distribution network e.g. by larger
                                                                                                                         shares of distributed renewable
                                                                                                                         generation and electrical vehicle
                                                                                                                         infrastructure;

                                                                                                                     •	 improving over-all efficiency of
                                                                                                                         the network and reducing network
                                                                                                                         power losses;

                                                                                                                     Furthermore, with the need to replace/
                                                                                                                     refurbish an increasingly ageing
                                                                                                                     electrical infrastructure, the necessity
                                                                                                                     of extensive investments in smart grids

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