Comparisons between the US and EU Smart Grid Markets can be drawn at the level of R&D expenditures, usage, cost structures, operations, and standardization and privacy policies. The proliferation of the smart grid is due to such drivers as an increasing environmentally and climate change conscious mindset, the aging grid infrastructure in the US and Europe, the lack of systems and network interoperability, and the increasing demand for power. While facing similar challenges, the US and EU have taken different paths toward developing smart grid markets and regulatory frameworks. In this meeting, we ask: how do US and EU smart grid policies and regulations differ in successfully creating the incentives for businesses and consumers alike, and, how has this propelled and/or hindered the smart grid markets? What strategies have the US and EU utilized to drive the adoption of the smart grid? How do priorities differ in each market?

• What is the role of policy mandates and incentives in the US vs. the EU (state/decentralized vs. national/centralized?)
• What are the effects of utility decoupling on improved energy use and smart grid market.
•  Where is the focus of US and EU smart grid initiatives: demand-side or supply-side? Are consumer-oriented efficiency improvements optimal, or, are improvements to grid systems, such as for transmission and distribution, the optimal path to a more efficient electric grid?   
•  How does the development and use of renewables affect the growth of smart grid markets?
• How has the US and EU differed in dealing with unexpected rising costs for the consumer?
• What progress has been made in data/network, metering, and communication standards in the US and the EU?
• How does public technology investment compare in the US and EU? 

Speakers: 

ISO (Independent System Operators) New England, Robert B. Burke, Principal Analyst, Market Development 

SAP AG, Fritz Schwarzländer, Industry Principal Utilities

Please contact 

kimberly.schoemaker@agrion.org for more information.