Cisco has pulled together a group of 25 leading system integrators, technology vendors, utility providers and services companies to push the development and adoption of a communications infrastructure that will help utility companies and their customers optimise energy supply and demand.
The Smart Grid Ecosystem, which was announced earlier in the year, is intended to help change the way the world creates, distributes and consumes energy from generation to the point of use.
According to Marthin de Beer, senior VP for Cisco Emerging Technologies Group, the development takes on initiatives outlined in May for “end-to-end secure standards-based energy management systems for smart grids.”
Traditional energy networks comprise disparate systems that lack efficiency, introduce risk, and increase costs.
“The energy sector is in the midst of an industry transition towards smart grid systems” de Beer said.
Smart grids offer more efficiency through better correlation of power supply and demand, help reduce energy network outages and disruptions, and should also increase environmental sustainability.
Among the many developments, smart grids will require layered defense mechanisms to detect and mitigate threats, and physical security include video surveillance cameras, electronic access control and emergency response.
Cisco is also promoting its EnergyWise and Network Building Mediator technologies as a means of lowering energy costs and carbon footprint, and the use of specially ruggedised routers and switches to provide the right infrastructure for the harsh environments of the smart grid.
The company has announced Laura Ipsen as the new Senior VP and GM for its Smart Grid Business Unit, after her stint as head of Cisco Global Policy and Government Affairs.
