IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v81y2015icp89-102.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

UK smart grid development: An expert assessment of the benefits, pitfalls and functions

Author

Listed:
  • Xenias, Dimitrios
  • Axon, Colin J.
  • Whitmarsh, Lorraine
  • Connor, Peter M.
  • Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye
  • Spence, Alexa

Abstract

Making electricity grids smarter is a challenging, long-term, and ambitious process. It consists of many possible transitions and involves many actors relevant to existing and potential functions of the grid. We applied a two round Policy Delphi process with a range of sectoral experts who discussed important drivers, barriers, benefits, risks and expected functions of smarter grids, to inform the development of smarter grids. Our analysis of these expert views indicates broad consensus of the necessity for smarter grids, particularly for economic and environmental reasons; yet stakeholders also associated a range of risks and barriers such as lack of investment, disengaged consumers, complexity and data privacy with measures to make the grid smarter. Different methods for implementing smarter grid functions were considered, all thought to be more likely in urban settings. Implications for policy and future research are considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Xenias, Dimitrios & Axon, Colin J. & Whitmarsh, Lorraine & Connor, Peter M. & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Spence, Alexa, 2015. "UK smart grid development: An expert assessment of the benefits, pitfalls and functions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 89-102.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:89-102
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.016
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148115001986
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2015.03.016?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Diaz-Rainey, Ivan & Ashton, John K., 2008. "Stuck between a ROC and a hard place? Barriers to the take up of green energy in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 3043-3051, August.
    2. Clastres, Cédric, 2011. "Smart grids: Another step towards competition, energy security and climate change objectives," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 5399-5408, September.
    3. Paul M. Weaver & Jan Rotmans, 2006. "Integrated sustainability assessment: what is it, why do it and how?," International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(4), pages 284-303.
    4. Lo Schiavo, Luca & Delfanti, Maurizio & Fumagalli, Elena & Olivieri, Valeria, 2013. "Changing the regulation for regulating the change: Innovation-driven regulatory developments for smart grids, smart metering and e-mobility in Italy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 506-517.
    5. McDowall, William & Eames, Malcolm, 2006. "Forecasts, scenarios, visions, backcasts and roadmaps to the hydrogen economy: A review of the hydrogen futures literature," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 1236-1250, July.
    6. Meeus, Leonardo & Saguan, Marcelo, 2011. "Innovating grid regulation to regulate grid innovation: From the Orkney Isles to Kriegers Flak via Italy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 1761-1765.
    7. Connor, Peter & Bürger, Veit & Beurskens, Luuk & Ericsson, Karin & Egger, Christiane, 2013. "Devising renewable heat policy: Overview of support options," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 3-16.
    8. Marques, António Cardoso & Fuinhas, José Alberto, 2012. "Are public policies towards renewables successful? Evidence from European countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 109-118.
    9. Cossent, Rafael & Gómez, Tomás & Olmos, Luis, 2011. "Large-scale integration of renewable and distributed generation of electricity in Spain: Current situation and future needs," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 8078-8087.
    10. Zhang, Qi & Tezuka, Tetsuo & Ishihara, Keiichi N. & Mclellan, Benjamin C., 2012. "Integration of PV power into future low-carbon smart electricity systems with EV and HP in Kansai Area, Japan," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 99-108.
    11. Kim, Jin-Ho & Shcherbakova, Anastasia, 2011. "Common failures of demand response," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 873-880.
    12. Heide, Dominik & Greiner, Martin & von Bremen, Lüder & Hoffmann, Clemens, 2011. "Reduced storage and balancing needs in a fully renewable European power system with excess wind and solar power generation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 2515-2523.
    13. Connor, Peter M. & Baker, Philip E. & Xenias, Dimitrios & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Axon, Colin J. & Cipcigan, Liana, 2014. "Policy and regulation for smart grids in the United Kingdom," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 269-286.
    14. Cédric Clastres, 2011. "Smart grids : Another step towards competition, energy security and climate change objectives," Post-Print halshs-00617702, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aurelie Tricoire, 2015. "Uncertainty, vision, and the vitality of the emerging smart grid," Post-Print hal-02351994, HAL.
    2. Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Davidson, Rosemary & Bicket, Martha & Whitmarsh, Lorraine, 2013. "The development of smart homes market in the UK," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 361-372.
    3. Connor, Peter M. & Baker, Philip E. & Xenias, Dimitrios & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Axon, Colin J. & Cipcigan, Liana, 2014. "Policy and regulation for smart grids in the United Kingdom," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 269-286.
    4. Colmenar-Santos, Antonio & Campíñez-Romero, Severo & Pérez-Molina, Clara & Castro-Gil, Manuel, 2012. "Profitability analysis of grid-connected photovoltaic facilities for household electricity self-sufficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 749-764.
    5. Lopes, Marta A.R. & Henggeler Antunes, Carlos & Janda, Kathryn B. & Peixoto, Paulo & Martins, Nelson, 2016. "The potential of energy behaviours in a smart(er) grid: Policy implications from a Portuguese exploratory study," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 233-245.
    6. Rae, Callum & Kerr, Sandy & Maroto-Valer, M. Mercedes, 2020. "Upscaling smart local energy systems: A review of technical barriers," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    7. Gaspari, Michele & Lorenzoni, Arturo & Frías, Pablo & Reneses, Javier, 2017. "Integrated Energy Services for the industrial sector: an innovative model for sustainable electricity supply," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 118-127.
    8. Nilsson, Anders & Lazarevic, David & Brandt, Nils & Kordas, Olga, 2018. "Household responsiveness to residential demand response strategies: Results and policy implications from a Swedish field study," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 273-286.
    9. Paulo Moisés Costa & Nuno Bento & Vítor Marques, 2014. "Dealing with Technological Risk in a Regulatory Context: The Case of Smart Grids," GEMF Working Papers 2014-11, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    10. Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Aneesh A. Chand & Maria Malvoni & Kushal A. Prasad & Kabir A. Mamun & F.R. Islam & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2020. "Distributed Energy Resources and the Application of AI, IoT, and Blockchain in Smart Grids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-42, November.
    11. Martínez-Lao, Juan & Montoya, Francisco G. & Montoya, Maria G. & Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco, 2017. "Electric vehicles in Spain: An overview of charging systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 970-983.
    12. Kokou Amega & Yendoubé Laré & Ramchandra Bhandari & Yacouba Moumouni & Aklesso Y. G. Egbendewe & Windmanagda Sawadogo & Saidou Madougou, 2022. "Solar Energy Powered Decentralized Smart-Grid for Sustainable Energy Supply in Low-Income Countries: Analysis Considering Climate Change Influences in Togo," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-24, December.
    13. Yanshan Yu & Jin Yang & Bin Chen, 2012. "The Smart Grids in China—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 5(5), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Kumar, Yogesh & Ringenberg, Jordan & Depuru, Soma Shekara & Devabhaktuni, Vijay K. & Lee, Jin Woo & Nikolaidis, Efstratios & Andersen, Brett & Afjeh, Abdollah, 2016. "Wind energy: Trends and enabling technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 209-224.
    15. Bovera, Filippo & Lo Schiavo, Luca, 2022. "From energy communities to sector coupling:a taxonomy for regulatory experimentation in the age of the European Green Deal," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    16. Weiwei Liu & Yuan Tao & Zhile Yang & Kexin Bi, 2019. "Exploring and Visualizing the Patent Collaboration Network: A Case Study of Smart Grid Field in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-18, January.
    17. Jacqueline Corbett, 2013. "Using information systems to improve energy efficiency: Do smart meters make a difference?," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 747-760, November.
    18. Kendel, Adnane & Lazaric, Nathalie & Maréchal, Kevin, 2017. "What do people ‘learn by looking’ at direct feedback on their energy consumption? Results of a field study in Southern France," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 593-605.
    19. de Wildt, T.E. & Chappin, E.J.L. & van de Kaa, G. & Herder, P.M. & van de Poel, I.R., 2019. "Conflicting values in the smart electricity grid a comprehensive overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 184-196.
    20. Welsch, Manuel & Bazilian, Morgan & Howells, Mark & Divan, Deepak & Elzinga, David & Strbac, Goran & Jones, Lawrence & Keane, Andrew & Gielen, Dolf & Balijepalli, V.S.K. Murthy & Brew-Hammond, Abeeku , 2013. "Smart and Just Grids for sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring options," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 336-352.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:89-102. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.