Smart grids

What is a smart grid?

A smart grid is an electricity network that can integrate in a cost efficient manner the behaviour and actions of all users connected to it - generators, consumers and those that do both - in order to ensure economically efficient, sustainable power system with low losses and high levels of quality and security of supply and safety (as per the definition given by the Expert Group 1 of the EU Commission Task Force for Smart Grids).

Smart grids and standardization

Standardization is a key issue for smart grids due to the involvement of many different sectors along the value chain - from the generation to the appliances in the households. Because the smart grid is broad in its scope, the potential standards landscape is also very large and complex. This is why the three European Standards Organisations created a Joint Working Group (JWG), which produced a report that outlines Europe's standardization views in the area of smart grids, taking due account of existing global activities.

In 2010, the European Standards Organisations (ESOs), CEN, CENELEC and ETSI set up a Joint Working Group (JWG) on standards for smart grids, which prepared and published in 2011 a report on the European Smart Grids standardization.

> Download the final report of the CEN, CENELEC, ETSI Joint Working Group on Standards for smart grids.

> Read the Recommendations for smart grid standardization in Europe

The standardization Mandate M/490 on smart grid standardization to the European Standards Organisations (ESOs), accepted in June 2011, adds to the challenge of the ESOs: the need for speedy action, the need to accommodate a huge number of stakeholders and to work in a context of many international activities and still changing solutions. Standardization of smart grids is not "business as usual".

> Download the Standardization Mandate on standards for smart grids

In order to perform the requested mandated work, the ESOs established in July 2011, together with the relevant stakeholders, the CEN-CENELEC-ETSI Smart Grid Coordination Group (SG-CG), being responsible for coordinating the ESOs reply to M/490 (successor of the JWG on standards for smart grids).

In 2012, the SG-CG Group focussed on the following mandated aspects:

- A Technical Reference Architecture
- A Set of Consistent Standards
- Sustainable Standardization Processes

The ESOs also investigated standards for information security and data privacy.

These reports and additional information on the Smart Grids standardization activities are available on the CEN-CENELEC website.

The focal point addressing the ESO's response to M/490 will be the CEN, CENELEC and ETSI Smart Grids Coordination Group (SG-CG), built around the membership of the previous JWG.

Contact point: Catherine Vigneron, Secretary of the SG-CG