(Picture credit: EMA)

With the growing adoption of smart grid projects worldwide by various jurisdictions, utilities and application solution providers, there is a need for exchange of knowledge and expertise on an international platform.

Speaking at the Asia Smart Grid 2011 conference as part of the 4th Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2011, Mr Willian Van Putten, Managing Director of KEMA, Asia Pacific, shared on smart grid solutions as a transition towards the future of the energy industry.

An increasingly complex energy landscape

Mr Putten highlighted that the current energy landscape is changing and becoming more complex, affected by an array of factors such as technology advancements, physical limits, politics, finance and regulations. With the increasing use of natural gas and adoption of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, he shared that the transition towards a more sustainable energy landscape has started and would create more uncertainties and major changes in the way people think about power systems.

For example, consumers can now become suppliers of energy through demand-side management programmes such as demand response. This will affect the flow of power and require the development of new market mechanisms. Smart grid plays a major role and enabler in this energy transition. Read more...