There are many who consider smart investment in P&U merely an “infrastructure upgrade.” We think this is too limited.
One of the greatest changes to affect power and utilities (P&U) in over 100 years is the implementation of smart technologies.
Worldwide, P&U companies are expected to invest US$200 billion by 2015, upgrading their metering and in some instances their grid infrastructures to be “smart.”
So what is smart? It’s a more technologically advanced way of producing, transmitting and using energy — with smart meters, smart grids and smart homes — that is greener and more secure. Smart has the potential to transform not only P&U’s business strategies but the very composition of the energy sector with new entrants.
Smart is happening at different speeds around the world, and these are early days. But the potential scale of change is so great its potential impact must be considered now. Key questions to consider include:
