An electrifying mission to London

It seems that I will be informing you about “smarty” themes, from intelligent garments to smart missions to London, and here’s a tiny hint about my next blog: “Smart visits to Montréal”…stay tuned if you would like to know more!

Welcome to new meters and monitors!

SIN and UKTI Montreal have partnered with Smart Grids trade mission to London (26-29 January, 2014) organised by Prompt. Driven by Prompt’s industrial and academic partners, this strategic visit to London covers a major scope that will help British households and businesses save energy and money while also reinforcing bilateral collaborations.

Did you know that £1 in every £4 spent on heating in the UK is currently wasted? Also, did you know that £1.3 billion is lost every year through households not fully switching off electronic gadgets? Unbelievable, isn’t it?

The governments of Canada, the UK and Québec are committed to taking concrete actions that will address today’s most pressing environmental challenges, including efficient energy management. This trade mission goes hand in hand with the UK government’s request that energy companies install smart meters and smart monitors for their customers by 2019 (though there is no legal obligation on individuals to have one) as a means of helping households use less energy.

According to the latest Oxford Economics report:The values of Smart Metering to Great Britain, British homes and businesses could be nearly £14 billion better off thanks to the installation of smart meters.

During the visit, Québec company Trilliant and British gas announced at the Délégation générale du Québec in London that its partnership has been extended for the foundation phase of the UK roll out to work on developing pre-payment capability. In addition, the trade mission met the Future Cities Catapult, Tech UK, Smart Grid GB, experts from King’s College London, and UKTI specialists in smart grids.

Goodbye oldie meter and thanks for your services!

But in reality what is a smart grid? In a few words, a smart grid is in fact an electricity network that uses digital – and other technologies – to manage and monitor sustainably the transport of electricity, from generation sources to end users. The figure below, from the International Energy Agency, gives you an idea of the evolutionary character of smart grids.

Currently, the world’s electricity systems face a number of challenges, including ageing infrastructure, rising demand, electric vehicles, security and sustainability. Smart grids offer ways that will not only address these challenges but also ensure the development of a more affordable, efficient and cleaner energy supply.

Our techno-lifestyles have transformed the way we live, and now it’s time they transform our energy bills too. Let’s join the smart revolution!!