Keynote Speech 4: ICT trends in energy

In recent years, significant focus has been given to smart-grid and its potential for significantly improving the power grid. As a result, many countries are considering deploying smart-grid technologies. Unfortunately, the MENA region including Jordan, has not kept pace with these developments. There is a need for countries in the region to move forward with necessary practical and policy decisions to use and deploy such energy saving technologies. Today´s PV installations focus mainly on solar energy conversion, control and grid connectivity technologies. This talk will focus on concept of smart-grid, recent advancements in smart-grid technologies, and the role of power electronics in PV energy conversion and how the new solar energy conversion technologies may incorporate smart-grid capabilities in distributed PV systems. Also, it will address Jordan´s great potential and opportunity to make use of its ICT success to embrace such new technologies.