The role of communication to enable smart distribution applications

The so-called "smart-grid" or "active distribution networks" has become a very popular topic in the industry. The push originates from the increasing amount of distributed generation (DG) such as wind farms, solar, CHP (combined heat and power), micro-turbines, etc. connected to the distribution networks, as well as the tighter requirements on reliability and quality coming from regulations and customers. Environmental concerns and energy crisis have also encouraged the efficient use and integration of renewable energies. While the focus has always been on the various advanced functions for distribution operation, there has been a lack of emphasis on the required ICT (information and communication technology) to facilitate the former. This paper therefore explores the role and importance of communication for smart distribution grid applications.