ABSTRACT
Two forces have been converging in recent years to drive major changes in energy industries: growing demand for cleaner energy sources and emergence of technologies, transforming all electricity industry aspects. A major contributor is the smart grid, a key enabler of industry advances, proposed as an effort to integrate critical developments into electricity infrastructure to accommodate renewable energy and microgrids, penetration of information technology into power systems and new applications. Smart grid has gained worldwide recognition, and smart catchphrase has been carried over into many other industries. What was initially, considered intelligent power grid, the smart grid is now interpreted several different ways. Smart grid interpretations depend on the perspective of utilities, vendors, consultants, academics or consumers. However, it reflects significant changes in the way people think about power generation, transfer and uses. It is an essential change in the way energy demands, supply security and environmental challenges are addressed. While the modern power grid is a marvel in engineering design and development, being one of mankind's greatest achievement, it has yet to be transformed into a smart grid. A truly smart grid includes sustainable energy concepts, improved services and cleaner and cost-effective technologies. Smart grid effort still has a long way to go, continuing to evolve and change. Who knows what the final state of these efforts will produce, but it looks to have sufficient momentum, bringing significant advances in technology and industry as a whole.
