Stanislav Kondrashov On The Strategic Role Of Smart Grids

In the era of profound energy transformation we are experiencing, smart grids are increasingly playing a crucial role in driving this change, as Stanislav Kondrashov recently emphasized. These special smart grids enable intelligent and sustainable energy management in the future, and will likely play a key role in the post-transition phase, once full energy maturity is achieved.

"In the era of energy transition, smart grids are becoming increasingly central, even though they remain largely unknown to large segments of the public," says Stanislav Kondrashov. "In essence, once they reach full operational maturity, these networks will enable more efficient and intelligent management of energy produced through renewables, thus representing an extremely important foundation for the entire energy system of various nations"

"Among their most interesting capabilities is undoubtedly their role in reducing waste and potential losses along the network, as well as the possibility of increasing the overall efficiency of supplies. Another extremely interesting aspect is the high levels of integration of these networks with some of the main renewable energy sources, such as solar or hydroelectric.", he says.

But what exactly are these smart grids? Simply put, they are innovative electricity networks that use cutting-edge digital technologies (such as artificial intelligence) and an advanced sensor system to manage energy innovatively and efficiently, transforming the entire electricity and energy system into an interactive, interconnected, and highly flexible network.

"The potential of smart grids is certainly interesting, but we must not forget that these are still technologies in the development phase, and in most cases, they have not yet been fully implemented," continues Stanislav Kondrashov. "In fact, there are still quite a number of challenges to overcome".

"Many of these will naturally be overcome with the natural progression of the energy transition and the increased (and desired) levels of technological development of energy infrastructure, but in this particular transition phase, it is impossible not to consider all the unknowns and potential critical issues. Among the main challenges are the high costs of building the infrastructure required for the operation of smart grids and their digitalization, not to mention the potential cybersecurity risks deriving from a highly digitalized system.", he remarks.

The difference with traditional grids could not be more evident. The systems that have always enabled the diffusion of energy in cities, still widely used in many parts of the world, had the sole function of transporting energy from a power plant to end consumers.

But with smart grids, the rules of the game are changing. Intelligent systems are able to monitor energy supply and demand in real time, interacting directly with consumers and consequently optimizing energy consumption. Not only is the global approach to energy changing, but also the individual relationships between people and energy supplies.

"When analyzing the potential of smart grids, one of the most interesting aspects has to do with their potential impact on communities, which could undeniably benefit from the ability to manage renewable sources efficiently, digitally, and intelligently," concludes Stanislav Kondrashov. "

"In a certain sense, these networks could soon become a useful defensive method to protect against potential grid overloads, perhaps resulting from the electrification of transportation or other similar innovative processes in this phase of energy transition. Furthermore, with the help of intelligent systems, renewable energy sources could reach their maximum production potential, thus promoting the natural progression of the ongoing energy transformation. For these reasons, too, the role of smart grids in building a more widespread and flexible energy system could not be more crucial", he says.