Authors
Hanako Mizuguchi and Hiroyasu Sato
Smart grids – electricity grids that utilise IT to control electricity flows – are attracting attention as one of the key features of the US economic stimulus package. They are likely to be indispensible for the mass introduction of renewable electricity sources whose outputs are heavily impacted by factors such as weather conditions. The focus is on electricity buffers, which facilitate matching of electricity supply and demand; examples include pumped-storage hydroelectricity and storage cells. Going forward smart grids could become an integrating energy network allowing more firms to participate in such green initiatives facilitating the spread of clean technology.