Ten Smart-Grid Trends to Watch in 2011

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Demand response taking a more prominent role in smart-grid deployments in 2011 is just one of ten trends predicted in the smart-grid industry by Pike Research. The market research company takes a look at the ten key smart-grid trends that are likely to shape the industry over the next few years.

Based on the premise that the smart grid is seen as a means to adapt the electrical infrastructure to help fight climate change and meet energy independence and security, the white paper, "Smart Grid: Ten Trends to Watch in 2011 and Beyond," identifies ten key trends that are driving the changes currently underway in the areas of technology, business, policy, and consumer behavior.

Here are Pike's Ten Smart-Grid Trends to Watch:

--Security will become the top smart grid concern

--Distribution Automation will rival AMI as the most visible smart grid application

--The “Bakersfield Effect” will continue, but some consumers will actually like the smart grid

--Smart meter and AMI focus will shift toward Europe and China

--The “Year of the HAN” will not arrive… yet

--The Demand Response business transformation will accelerate

--The ARRA smart grid “stimulus” will finally have a positive impact

--The standards “horse” will begin to catch the deployment “cart”

--Data management will be the next bottleneck to smart grid benefits

--Existing data and telecom vendors will get serious about the smart grid

A number of recent partnerships also are helping to promote and accelerate the smart-grid industry. These include partnerships between IBM and NV Energy, Hitachi and Panasonic as well as Cisco and Itron.

In addition, seven national smart-grid organizations launched in September the Global Smart Grid Federation (GSGF), an international organization to promote best practices and to help accelerate the deployment of smart grid around the world.

Environment + Energy Leader