Australia - Smart Grids - Analysis - The Market in 2009

Synopsis

This will be a crunch year for smart grids. Fortunately the implementation of the government’s smart meter project, planned for 2007 has been delayed till 2009, enabling the utilities involved to review their plans, while at the same time allowing for a national review of the regulatory regime. This needs to be changed so that utilities will be encouraged to invest in smart grids rather than just in smart meters. Victoria took the leadership in smart meters and that made many utilities also to focus on the underlying infrastructure; building on this we will start seeing the first smart grids arriving in Australia in 2009. The $100 million Smart Grid funding provides a major boost for this development.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
  
• 2. Budget 2009-2010 $100 million for smart grids
  
• 3. Smart Grid economics
  
• 4. Where are we in Australia in mid-2009
  
  • 4.1 Can we develop a holistic policy
    
  • 4.2 Smart grid concept gathering momentum
    
  • 4.3 Smart grids require policy changes
    
  • 4.4 Facilitating smart grids within the regulatory framework
    
  • 4.5 International benchmarks
    
  • 4.6 New spectrum proposal boost for smart grids
    
• 5. ICT solutions for global warming and energy saving
  
• 6. The national smart meter debate
  
  • 6.1 In-home display devices
    
  • 6.2 Victoria was holding the key to the future
    
  • 6.3 Political backlash
    
  • 6.4 Government moving towards smart grid thinking
    
  • 6.5 Leadership is all that is needed
    
• 7. Industry issues
  
  • 7.1 Utilities need to be modernised
    
  • 7.2 Technology solutions need to be followed through
    
  • 7.3 The need for trans-sector approach
    
• 8. Separate background reports