Planning and Designing Smart Grids: Philosophical Considerations

The electric power grid is a crucial part of societal infrastructure and needs constant attention to maintain its performance and reliability. European grid project investments are currently valued at over 5 billion Euros and are estimated to reach 56 billion by 2020 [2]. Successful smart grid deployment will require a holistic analysis and design process if it is to function properly and in an environmentally sustainable way. The entire system must be treated as integrated, not as isolated parts [3]. System integration and full customer engagement are crucial elements of this development. An evaluation of European smart grid projects showed that it was very difficult to grasp technological and non-technological key characteristics of this complex system [4].