Is the “smart grid” really as smart as the hype makes it out to be? Can it really deliver on its promise to reduce energy consumption with a minumum of bother? Those are among the questions some of the UK’s top leaders in the “smart” sector aim to tackle during a seminar in Bath next month.
“How smart are smart grids: The future of smart grids and what they can do for us” is scheduled to start at 9:30 am Friday, 12 March, at The Innovation Centre, Carpenter House, Bath, BA1 1UD. Admission is £10 (including VAT) and advance registration is required.
In theory, the US alone could save $117 billion over the next 20 years by modernising its energy grids. In doing this and making the grid more intelligent — ie, a smart grid — it could coordinate low-priority devices and schedule supply of energy in relation to its demand, wherever that may be.
The seminar in Bath aims to explore the future of the smart grid: what it is, what it could be and where the drawbacks lie.
Scheduled speakers so far include:
- Steve Cunningham, Chief Executive of Landis+Gyr;
- Dr. Mark England, Managing Director of Sentec;
- Andrew Longyear, Director of Cisco;
- Dr. Miles Redfern from the University of Bath; and
- Dr. Tim Mays from the University of Bath.
Chairing the programme will be Dan Ilett, founder and managing editor of Greenbang.com.