Our traditional electricity grids are outdated, inefficient and unreliable, while integrating renewable energy presents a huge challenge.

Smart Grids are digital and intelligent energy networks which monitor, manage and control electricity flows in real time. This creates a more reliable, efficient network that reduces waste and moves us closer to a low carbon economy.

Did you know? The UK electricity system currently wastes approximately £9.5 billion each year from the loss of energy before it reaches homes and businesses.

Smart Meters measure how much gas and electricity you’re using as well as what it’s costing you. They are being installed by energy suppliers across Western Europe and connected to a cellular wireless network, which then transmits information from meters located in homes and businesses to network operations centres.

Did you know? More than 200 million European households will have smart meters by 2023.

Increasing global concerns regarding climate change and the alarming pollution levels have created a need for electric vehicles to replace petrol and diesel cars.

Electric Vehicles are powered by electric motors and are charged through residential, commercial and industrial charge points which are connected to the electricity grid.

Did you know? The UK government has adopted targets that will require a 57% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and has followed in France’s footsteps in declaring that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040.

Currently supply and demand of electricity must always be balanced. However, with more renewable energy being generated, this is having a negative impact on grid stability. Energy Storage Systems allow the grid to store the electricity produced and then use it at a later time.

Did you know? As Energy Storage technology develops, it will play a vital role in enabling homes to generate their own energy, allowing people to store and use this energy only when required, and even sell any excess back to the grid.

Over the coming decades digital technologies are set to make energy systems around the world more connected, intelligent, efficient, reliable and sustainable through advances in data, analytics and connectivity.

Digitalized energy systems in the future may be able to identify who needs energy and deliver it at the right time, in the right place and at the lowest cost.

Did you know? Data is growing at an exponential rate – internet traffic has tripled in only the past five years and around 90% of the data in the world today was created over the past two years.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a host of devices which interact with one another. IoT will play an important role in smart grid and smart city development as new digital equipment and smart devices are connected to the grid.

Did you know? There were approximately 15 billion devices connected to the internet in 2015. By 2020, it is estimated that the number of devices connected to the internet will reach 75 billion.