Smart Grid is a vision for a more reliable, more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable electrical energy grid. It will bridge the communication gap between supply and demand, spanning from power plants into our homes. It will be secure, interactive, self-healing, adaptive, predictive, and flexible. Smart Grid will handle multiple sources and levels of electricity generation, enabling clean, alternate energy, like wind and solar. Through digital delivery and control interfaces, it will allow consumers to make informed decisions about their power use.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Vision for the Modern Grid,” a Smart Grid will offer several key enhancements over the existing grid to enhance reliability and minimize environmental impact:

• The grid will encourage active consumer participation.
• The grid will accommodate all generation and energy storage options (“plug-and-play” compatibility).
• The grid will enable new products, services and markets.
• The grid will operate efficiently and optimize the utilization of existing and new assets.
• The grid will anticipate and respond to system disturbances in a self-healing manner, operating resiliently against physical/cyber attacks and natural disasters.
• The grid will provide the power quality required for a digital, computer and communication-based economy.

Emerson is already working on technologies to enable Smart Grid. Some are in use today.