IEEE in Smart Grid Initiative

IEEE says it is at the forefront of both helping the world's citizens understand the benefits of smart grid, while also creating a forum for collaboration for all entities involved in this groundbreaking initiative. Members of IEEE have been working on numerous aspects of smart grid development and execution, including developing interoperability standards, ensuring that the smart grid is environment-friendly and enacting protocols to maintain the grid's security.

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 earlier this month in the 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, 2009, 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, 2009.

"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.

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."