ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of global smart grid initiatives. Smart grid investments have resulted in countless projects, entirely or partly focused on smart grid technologies. The electricity industry in Canada is expected to invest $11 billion in infrastructure replacement in each of the next 20 years just to replace existing assets. By 2012, it intends to install an additional 17,600 km. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has placed an unprecedented funding resource in the hands of DOE, resulting in the Smart Grid Investment Grant program and the Smart Grid Demonstration program. The smart grid projects represent over $1.5 billion in smart grid investments with over $30 million directly focused on smart grid research. A smart community integrates several energy supply and use systems within a given region in an attempt to optimize operation and allow for maximum integration of renewable energy resources-from large-scale wind farm deployments to microscale rooftop photovoltaics and residential EMS.
