According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if the North American grid were just 5% more efficient, the energy savings would equate to eliminating the fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from 53 million cars.
Support of the Smart Grid Maturity Model
by DoE enables it to be accessible to all stakeholders of the electric
power industry.
IBM and a group of leading utilities--the Global Intelligent Utility Network Coalition--have handed-over stewardship of their Smart Grid Maturity Model to the Carnegie Mellon® Software Engineering Institute (SEI). As progressive utilities around the globe modernize power grids with digital technology, executives want to know that making the grid smarter is the right thing to do and they want to know how to do it.
The electric grid is the
largest and most complex machine in the world and in places it is now
critically overburdened. Impacts of climate change, available
technology, and the current economic crisis represent the final tipping
point for a much needed overhaul.
The Smart Grid Maturity Model will serve as a strategic framework for utilities, vendors, regulators, and consumers that have a role in smart grid transformation--from technological to regulatory to organizational.
The Smart Grid Maturity Model
The Smart Grid Maturity Model provides utilities with a roadmap of activities, investments, and best practices for transformation to the smart grid and guidance in related technological, regulatory, and organizational issues.
The Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon (SEI) is now the steward of the Smart Grid Maturity Model. The model was developed by IBM, and its ownership has been transferred to the SEI for its ongoing development and dissemination.
In addition to the SEI activities, the World Energy Council (WEC) will be a channel for global dissemination, participation and adoption of the model using its worldwide network of member committees.
The Smart Grid
The smart grid is the use of digital technology to modernize the power grid. It employs innovative products and services combined with intelligent monitoring, control, communication, and self-healing technologies to do the following:
- Facilitate the connection and operation of generators of all sizes and technologies
- Allow consumers to play a part in optimizing the operation of the system
- Provide consumers with greater information and supply choices
- Significantly reduce the environmental impact of the electricity supply system
- Deliver enhanced levels of reliability and security of supply
More
than meters and mobility, the smart grid represents a whole new
framework for improved management of electric generation, transmission,
and distribution.
During 2009, a specially assembled team of experts will be planning the best ways to maintain and improve the maturity model on behalf of its user community.
To stimulate, guide, and support efforts and investments in smart grids, the SEI will assume primary responsibility for the ongoing governance, growth and evolution of the model. In order to support widespread adoption and use, the SEI will ensure availability of the model and supporting materials and services for the user community; maintain consistency of its application, validity, and results; and analyze and provide feedback on its use, value and impact for stakeholders.
Tom Standish, group president of Regulated Operations, CenterPoint Energy, encourages every utility to participate in the Smart Grid Maturity Model survey. "It provides insights into where you are on your smart grid journey and what milestone objectives to set to achieve the benefits of smart grid - for both customers and business," said Standish.
IBM initially led the development of the model in collaboration with the Global Intelligent Utility Network Coalition and with support from American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC). More than 40 utilities worldwide have participated in the model to date, representing 100 million customers of utilities across the globe. A key function of the Smart Grid Maturity Model tool is to gauge advancements made in Smart Grids and show returns on investments. This function allows it to be well positioned to have a role in procedures being implemented in support of the US efforts to modernize the power grid. The model offers observable indicators to measure progress, and helps facilitate the development and execution of smart grid programs.
A web page at SEI will be updated frequently to keep you up to date and let you know how you can participate.
An online webinar is available about the Smart Grid: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/collaborating/spins/033009webinar.html