Grid Edge 

“depending on who you talk to, the grid edge is going to either disrupt everything, rebuild everything, destroy everything or fizzle out like so many other fads.” 

The outlet uses the term to refer to the varying hardware, software and business innovations that are increasingly enabling smart, connected infrastructure to be installed at or near the “edge” of the electric power grid. As seen in the image below, the potential scope of what can be included in the grid edge is quite sizable. 

“The “edge”, in this case, means the proximity to end-use customers (at their homes, businesses or at distribution systems very close to both) rather than at power plants or along transmission lines. Grid edge hardware is the physical material you can touch: solar panels, advanced metering infrastructure, smart inverters, energy storage systems, smart thermostats, smart appliances and building controls. Grid edge software includes automated price-responsive demand response, real-time grid optimization (the balance between reliability, availability, efficiency and cost), data analytics, and integrated distribution system planning systems (an approach that focuses on modernizing utility interconnection, planning, sourcing and data sharing processes). Grid edge business innovations are things like consumer analytics, third party ownership and control (think rooftop solar companies), and aggregation for wholesale market participation (in which entire communities combine to buy energy at wholesale prices).” 

__https:%%//%%www.ase.org/blog/so-what-exactly-grid-edge-thing-anyway__ 

“The grid edge is a new dimension that opens up when consumers, prosumers, energy markets and the smart grid interact.” 

Michael Weinhold, CTO, Siemens Smart Infrastructure 

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~~DISCUSSION|Discussion Section - PAGE OWNER: Klaus Kubeczko~~