Smart Grid and Metering

The Russian economy has reached the point when a further qualitative leap requires the use of cross-industrial technological and economic concepts and solutions to bring the development of infrastructural sectors, which determine the industrial and overall economic development of the nation in the long term, to a new level. The sectors include the power industry, transportation, telecommunications and utilities.

The advanced foreign experience shows that a fast industrial development can only be achieved with the help of intellectual management systems and «smart» solutions as well as integrated measurement and metering systems.

The utilities in the industrialized countries are today in a period of change and agitation. On one hand, large parts of the power grid infrastructure are reaching their designed end of life time, since a large portion of the equipment was installed in the 1960s. On the other hand, there is a strong political and regulatory push for more competition and lower energy prices, more energy efficiency and an increased use of renewable energy like solar, wind, biomasses and water. 

According to ITU, Smart Grid is a new electricity network, which highly integrates the advanced sensing and measurement technologies, information and communication technologies (ICTs), analytical and decision-making technologies, automatic control technologies with energy and power technologies and infrastructure of electricity grids. 

A Smart Grid is a concept of building intelligent electricity grids, active bilateral grids, which help solve key problems connected with the energy performance and energy loss reduction, efficient grid and network system management, the system of compensating for the energy consumption irregularity due to energy peaks and dips, the integration of telecommunications and electric engineering infrastructures. No efficient construction of distributed power generation systems, including renewable energy sources and the stimulation of cost-effective resource use is possible without a Smart Grid. 

The general goals of Smart Grid are to ensure a transparent, sustainable and environmental-friendly operation and integration between generation, transmission and distribution of energy. Without Smart Grid there is not possible to develop efficient distributed energy generation systems including renewable energy sources, as well as to stimulate cost-effective resource usage. Also, Smart Grids have the capacity of more effective electricity markets and electricity trades, implement optimized configuration of resources, increase efficiency of the electricity grid, and reduce electricity grid wastage. 

The Smart Grid concept is present throughout the whole technological chain starting from software management of distributed systems on a national infrastructure level, to the measurement systems and last mile smart meters, specific equipment, which transforms passive elements of energy grids into active, i.e. controllable elements, and ensure that a link is built between elements of separate systems.  

FOR RUSSIA, THE SMART GRID CONCEPT IS CONTROVERSIAL   

Some experts say that a Smart Grid is the "tuning” of the energy system, the need for which will be felt when all opportunities for the for energy system optimization and upgrade, as well as energy performance improvement are exhausted. In Russia, where up to 25% of energy is lost at the transmission and distribution level, such a position has a point. 

The opposite viewpoint is that a Smart Grid is the basis for the future development of the whole industry, its transition to "a digital energy”, the use of up to date active adaptive management systems throughout the whole technological and marketing chain from generation to consumption, which will produce a greater effect than a mere technological modernization when implemented.   

The aim of the Forum is the creation of a cross-industrial platform to discuss the Smart Grid concept as the basis for a further fostering the technologic, economic and information interaction among market players as well as the integration of telecommunications and power engineering infrastructure in Russia and CIS.   

The Forum’s priorities: unlike other events dedicated to the Smart Grid, our Forum will focus not only on the technological aspects but also on strategic issues of the Smart Grid ecosystem development, namely the interaction of all related parties and the development of stimulating mechanisms, including the legislative mechanisms, which will help use advanced concepts and solutions on a national level. 

The success of the Smart Grid in Russia requires the creation of a roadmap to install and implement key corporate and government initiatives, the pro and contra analysis of current foreign experience and the applicability of cross-sectoral standards. 

The Forum will pay much attention to the deployment of telecommunication infrastructure and its integration with power grids and to partnership opportunities of power companies and telco operators in the deployment of intellectual systems.   

The Forum’s discussion subjects include the analysis of the power industry development trends, its regulation and standardization, strategic and economic aspects of the Smart Grid and the assessment of its future, the practice of Smart Grid deployment, including distributed intellectual metering systems, renewable energy resources development and management, the future of new technologies and equipment, the issues of IT systems development, the data processing and transmitting security, the practical experience and results of Russian and European projects.   

The Forum is a an efficient platform for sharing opinions and experience by key players of the Russian electric power industry – generation, transmission and distribution enterprises, consumers, regulators, equipment manufacturers, engineering companies and players of related industries, such as telecommunications operators and utilities.   

The Forum’s participants include representatives of executive and legislative state bodies, heads and specialists of management companies and enterprises, equipment and systems manufacturers, representatives of engineering companies, industrial and academic scientific centers, experts and consultants. 

Foreign guests, including European Commission representatives, vendors, leading European power companies, telecommunications operators will also participate in the Forum. 

The Forum is supported by the ETNO – the European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association and Cullen International – the leading European research company monitoring the Smart Grid evolvement. 

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITTEE AND PARTNERS OF THE FORUM
Organizer: SVM Media & Events Group
With official support: Cullen International, ETNO

SPONSORS OF THE FORUM
Gold Sponsors: IBM
Silver sponsors: Atos Worldwide IT Partner, Oracle Utilities, Ericsson, Compulink
Sponsor of session: ???, SAP
Partner: Invel, Energotrade.ru, Community Energy Consumers

PLENARY AND THEMATIC SESSIONS (Full version)

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