Smart grid

A smart grid is an electrical grid which includes a variety of operational and energy measures including smart meters, smart appliances, renewable energy resources, and energy efficiency resources. Electronic power conditioning and control of the production and distribution of electricity are important aspects of the smart grid.

Smart grid policy is organized in Europe as Smart Grid European Technology Platform. Policy in the United States is described in 42 U.S.C. ch. 152, subch. IX § 17381.

Roll-out of smart grid technology also implies a fundamental re-engineering of the electricity services industry, although typical usage of the term is focused on the technical infrastructure.

Background

Historical development of the electricity grid

The first alternating current power grid system was installed in 1886 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. At that time, the grid was a centralized unidirectional system of electric power transmission, electricity distribution, and demand-driven control.

Smart Networks

Smart Networks (Russian: "Умные сети" (Russian pronunciation: [ʊˈmnɨɪ ˈsʲetʲɪ])) is a Belarusian project which was designed to search for, select and teach young analysts for the state administration. The project was initiated by the Informational-Analytical Center under the Administration of President of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, the Republican Institute of Higher Education, Belarusian State University and Minsk State Linguistic University. In October 2012, the project began with the formations of an analytical community of 150 young people.

Participants

The Smart Networks project participants are citizens of Belarus who are under thirty-five years of age and who have received at a minimum, a Bachelor or Master's academic degree. They have the analytical ability and interest in political matters to create a product which can be used by the government of Belarus to benefit the state. There is an also an element of self-development for the participants. Preference in choosing participants was given to those people with English and Chinese skills.