Monday, March 18, 2013

DoE to create smart grid road map


Business World Online
Posted on March 18, 2013 09:57:59 PM

IN a bid to modernize the country’s power grid, the Department of Energy (DoE) has created a committee that will come up with a smart grid road map that will harmonize existing initiatives.

Yesterday the DoE issued a circular "creating an inter-agency steering committee for the development and formulation of a comprehensive and holistic smart grid policy framework and road map for the Philippine electric power industry."

The committee is tasked to propose a long-range national strategy for a smart grid that will run to 2030, with consideration on the possible impact on the prices of electricity.

It will also formulate and prepare transition policies and guidelines for the effective implementation of the smart grid, and will prepare a road map for smart grid initiatives.

According to the circular, a smart grid "uses innovative technologies to modernize electric grid infrastructure to effectively address 21st century challenges of consumer empowerment, energy supply flexibility and security, electric grid performance and asset utilization, and environment protection."

The steering committed is composed of members representing the DoE, the National Power Corp., the National Transmission Corp., the National Electrification Administration, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, and the Philippine Electricity Market Corp.

The DoE recognized that there are already industry participants that have adopted and implemented some smart grid initiatives in their operations. One of them is Manila Electric Co., which is currently pilot testing its prepaid electricity service.

"A number of distribution utilities have their own initiative on smart grid such as net metering and prepaid meters. Some are on experimental mode. The DoE intends to harmonize all these plans and come up with a framework on smart grid especially on policy to maximize benefits of having a smart grid," DoE Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said in a text message yesterday. 

"The DoE deems it necessary to develop a smart grid policy and road map in a holistic and sustainable manner in order to ensure and encourage greater participation from all stakeholders of the electric power industry and promote technology innovation, business growth and job certain, thereby enhancing regional and global competitiveness of the Philippines," the circular read.

The road map, according to the circular, will include success criteria, timelines and coverage, business case framework, interoperability standards development, an integration plan for low carbon technologies, and smart grid technology development and regionalization requirements. -- CMCF   source

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