KEMA discusses global cooperation on Smart Grids at GridWeek in Washington, DC.

Exploring global coordination opportunities.

September 19 - At GridWeek 2008, a global annual gathering of Smart Grid stakeholders and thought leaders, KEMA will present its vision on Smart Grids and discuss global coordination. The speakers include US Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, President of the The Foundation on Economic Trends and former advisor to several European Heads of State Jeremy Rifkin, and KEMA CEO and European Technology Platform Smart Grids Chair Pier Nabuurs.

New view
According to GridWeek and many others “A realization is emerging that a new view of energy, beyond oil, coal and other fossil-based fuels, will result in decentralized components of the electricity grid, a far cry from the central generation and structured system of the past. A smart information network for the electric grid is seen as necessary to manage and automate this new world.” There is general consensus on the fact that the increase of renewable and, therefore, decentralized generated energy, requires major adjustments in the existing grids.
 
Diversity in expertise and countries
For a large number of utilities, transmission system operators (TSO) and government related organizations in Europe, Australia, Latin America and North America, KEMA is involved in several projects related to Smart Grids and Utility of the Future initiatives such as those for CEMIG in Brasil, the Australian Alinta, and Southern Californian Edison, the US Navy, Duke Energy and Con Edison in the United States. In Europe, KEMA is engaged in projects for organizations like the German Bundesministerium, the Flemish energy and gas regulator VREG, Essent and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.
 
These projects span a range of services including grid modernization, meter data management systems, distribution automation, distribution operation systems, telecommunications, information systems integration, intelligent E-transport management, electricity storage (small-, medium- and large-scale) and the integration of decentralized generated electricity into the grids.