Beyond smart grid technologies, modernizing the nation’s electric grid must address a host of evolving system development issues. With a growing array of diverse centralized, distributed and renewable generation, power system managers are increasingly addressing complex interconnection issues and resource-balancing challenges—with a constant eye on reliability and long-term security.

KEMA is assisting the City of Glendale, California with its implementation of an advanced metering infrastructure and meter data management system (AMI / MDMS). The project is a first step in Glendale Water & Power’s smart grid roadmap.

Renewable generation implementation is increasing across the US. New challenges for the nation’s grid arise with this growth—resource volatility, regulation, grid operations. Advanced storage offers promising solutions for renewables interconnection. 

Recent advancements in energy storage are growing the technology’s potential as a ubiquitous sustainable energy tool. Today, storage is considered to be a component of Smart Grid. And it is being applied to a number of types of applications.

The US power system is becoming increasingly more complicated to plan, operate and control. A holistic approach is needed to make the business case for the smart grid and demonstrate how it benefits all stakeholders—especially consumers.