Asia moving to smart grids, cautiously
Governments in Asia, including Singapore, are starting to explore smart grid technology, while being cautious over security risks associated with new infrastructure.
Cisco, which is making moves in the smart grid space, is in talks with a number of administrations in the region and expects pilot projects within the next six months, according to Dirk Schlesinger, Cisco Systems' global lead for manufacturing industries and Asia-Pacific managing director for its Internet business solutions group.
Smart grids refer to the overlaying of digital communications infrastructure onto the electricity grid. These intelligent grids would allow smart meters in a consumer's home to, for example, communicate near real-time data on energy usage to utility providers.
"The region in general is still in the early stages but certain countries are more advanced than others, even when compared internationally," Schlesinger said in an e-mail interview. "Various pilots including one sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest Laboratory have shown a 10 to 15 percent reduction in household energy consumption when smart grid technologies are used.
"Obviously this cannot be generalized, since per capita electricity consumption and usage patterns in the United States are different than in, say China, but clearly it is indicative of the potential of smart grids," he explained.
The challenges, he noted, are more diverse in Asia than in Europe or the United States, where "the challenge is more grid refurbishment than grid extension".
To manage security risks, Schlesinger said Cisco will apply best practices developed from securing other critical infrastructures "to the smart grid to segment business functions and provide the authentication, authorization, integrity, confidentiality and threat prevention necessary to realize a secure smart grid".
Singapore's smart meters on trial
In Singapore, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) has initiated the Electricity Vending System (EVS) pilot, where selected households can monitor their real-time electricity consumption using smart meters.
David Tan, deputy chief executive (energy policy & planning) at EMA, told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail that the pilot program involving some 1,000 households in the Marine Parade and West Coast areas will run till December. Through the EVS, participating users can also select electricity packages from a retailer of their choice.
The EMA, he noted, will take into account vulnerability to physical and cyberattacks to the country's smart grid system, and implement measures to ensure robust power operations. "In ensuring a secured smart grid, the key considerations are to identify the threats and vulnerabilities; protect the network; reduce or eliminate system vulnerability to physical or cyberattack; and minimize consequences of any disruption," he added.
Over in Australia, the government said it would dedicate up to A$100 million (US$79 million) in the development of smart grid technology in 2009. China, according to the Renewable Energy World, has plans to build a smart grid by 2020 and may be in a position to influence smart grid development in the Philippines.
The China State Grid Corporation and Tenaga Nasional did not respond at the time of writing. Google declined comment for the story.