"Providing pathways to a smarter future" What is Smart Grid?   Smart Grid is fundamentally concerned with the long term sustainability of electricity delivery. A smart grid enables higher levels of distributed renewable energy, better network utilisation and greater customer interaction and empowerment. Through a combination of digital technologies and smarter customer behaviour the electricity sector is being transformed from the inside out - it is moving from analogue to digital in a transformation similar to that experienced by the IT and communications sector in the last 20 years. Through the use of modern computing and communications technologies it is now possible to redefine the way we deliver, use and interact with electricity.   Key features of the Smart Grid will include:   Distributed renewable energy (solar and wind)  Advanced energy storage  Energy conservation and load management   Home areas networks   Energy management systems  New electricity pricing options  Electric vehicles   New customer behaviours driven through choice and empowerment   Smart Grid Benefits Escalating investment in network infrastructure to meet peak demand is driving large electricity price increases and an unsustainable utility business model. The immediate benefits of deploying a Smart Grid are cost savings through the efficient management of peak demand in electricity networks and greenhouse gas reductions through greater use of renewable energy and energy conservation. In the longer term technology enhancements will bring a new level of customer interaction with electricity that will in turn drive a range of new products and services.