CENELEC
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 Organizations 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.
The final report is available here.
Recommendations for smart grid standardization in Europe are available here.
The standardization mandate M/490 on smart grid standardization to the European Standards Organizations (ESOs) adds to the challenge of the ESOs: the need for speedy action (a first set of results is requested before end 2012), 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".
The Standardization Mandate on standards for smart grids is available here.
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.
Structure of the Smart Grid Coordination Group:
A main group, the Smart Grid Coordination Group, and 4 Working Groups, all working under the responsibility of the main group:
- Working Group Reference Architecture
- Working Group First Set of Standards
- Working Group Sustainable Processes
- Working Group Security
Information on Smart Grid Use Cases Collection is available here.
Contact point: Catherine Vigneron, Secretary of the SG-CG
