Smart Grid, the energy transition and the future of the industry [Press Releases]

Singapore, 2 November 2011 – The inaugural Asia Smart Grid 2011 conference and exhibition opened today, with a keynote presentation delivered by the Managing Director of KEMA’s Asia Pacific Operations, Mr. Willem Van Putten. Established more than 83 years ago, KEMA is a global and leading authority in energy consulting and testing and certification and is active in the entire energy value chain, from fuels and power generation; policy and regulation; system operations to distribution and customer management processes.

In his speech, Mr. Van Putten outlined the current challenges for the energy sector – reduction of energy use; efficient use of fossil fuels and the integration and increased use of renewable energy sources. He highlighted that in Europe the transition to a sustainable energy system has just started. In an OECD/IEA 2009 report, it was projected that renewable energy sources (RES) will account for 37% of the world’s electricity generation by 2030. It is therefore clear that market penetration of RES will still need some time before it becomes entrenched as an alternative source of energy. He highlighted that this energy transition will cause major changes in the power systems that we are familiar with today, which will be accompanied by some level of uncertainty and markets will therefore need to develop new mechanisms to manage these changes. The transformation of the grid will also bring about new opportunities for businesses and will also spur growth in the development and deployment of new technologies and related products. Read more

3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit [Events]

Conference Name: 3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit
Dates: 27 – 30 September 2011
Venue: Pan Pacific Hotel, SINGAPORE
Website: http://www.smartgridssummit.com/

As the first in Asia to provide a Smart Grids platform, the Smart Grids Asia Summit is back for its 3rd Annual run this 27 – 30 September 2011 in Singapore.

With a central theme of “Investing in T&D Infrastructure & Renewable Energy for Continuous, Efficient, Reliable & Clean Electricity”, the 3rd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit will give you the chance to hear, first hand, the opportunities to invest in Asia’s T&D infrastructure. Read more

2nd Annual Smart Grids Asia

The 2nd Annual Smart Grids Asia Summit this 2 – 5 November 2010 in Singapore is the premier power transmission and distribution industry event for the region and provides an important platform for you to invest in Asia’s future smart grid opportunities and projects.

Smart Grids Asia 2010 will bring together local and international representatives from the power transmission and distribution sectors, electricity policy drivers and regulators with information, communication and technology companies to discuss the implementation of leading edge digital technology to enable an intelligent and efficient electricity network.

Following on from the successful 2009 conference that attracted 250+ delegates from across the region, Smart Grids Asia 2010 will feature Government, utility and smart grid experts from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, India, Australia, US, Canada, UK, Netherlands, Sweden and Greece, coming together to identify new partnerships and business opportunities in Asia, the fastest growing T&D market in the world.

Location: Pan Pacific Hotel, SINGAPORE

Website: http://www.smartgridssummit.com/

Contact Name: Eileen David

Contact Email: Eileen.david@ibcasia.com.sg

Contact Tel: +65 – 6508 2458 / +65 – 6508 2400

Contact Fax: +65 – 6508 2407

Organiser Name: IBC Asia (S) Pte Ltd

Organiser URL: www.ibc-asia.com

Organiser Email: register@ibcasia.com.sg

Organiser Tel: +65 – 6508 2400

Organiser Fax: +65 – 6508 2407

SIEW 2009: Smart Grids 2009

The Smart Grids 2009 conference was held last week as part of the Singapore International Energy Week, and covered the latest in smart grid development, and the strategies and steps towards attaining a more energy efficient and sustainable grid.

Mr Lawrence Wong, Chief Executive of the Energy Market Authority (EMA), gave the opening address. He said that although Singapore’s electricity grid is one of the most reliable in the world, with an average interruption time of less than 1 minute per customer in a year, there is still scope for improvement and to benefit from investing in a smarter grid.

A smart grid enables consumers to make better decisions about energy usage. For example, EMA recently concluded trials in two housing estates, Marine Parade and West Coast, to evaluate smart meters and time-differentiated electricity tariffs. Households were provided with real time information on their electricity usage, which resulted in a 2% reduction in electricity consumption.

In addition, households shifted about 10% of their electrical load from peak periods to off-peak periods, thus enjoying savings in their electricity bills. This shift in electricity demand away from peak periods would result in power companies not needing to build extra power plants to cope with such high demand, and could also reduce their spare generation capacity and bring down their overhead costs.

A smart grid makes it easier to facilitate the integration of intermittent and distributed sources of clean power, including co-generation plants and solar PVs, and ensure continued reliability in our electricity supply.

A smart grid also facilitates the electrification of transport, with increasing demand for electricity charging by both plug-in hybrids and full-battery electric vehicles. For example, if 10% of the vehicles in Singapore are electric, an additional 1.3 terra watt hours of electricity per year will be required, about 6 times the energy needs of the housing estate in Ang Mo Kio. Electric vehicles also have the potential to serve as energy storage systems and feed power back into the grid during peak periods.

EMA has launched a pilot project for an “Intelligent Energy System” (IES) to test a range of smart grid technologies and enhance the capabilities of Singapore’s power grid. EMA is calling a tender to select industry partners to work together with Singapore Power to implement the project. The IES pilot project will be implemented on multiple sites, mainly at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the CleanTech Park at Jalan Bahar, and selected residential, commercial and industrial buildings.

The IES pilot project seeks to develop and test the following components of a smart grid:

Image source for Intelligent Energy System: EMA press release