Smart Grid
In its article entitled Wiser Wires the Economist (Oct 8th 2009) writes about Smart Grids:
“Information technology can make electricity grids less wasteful and much greener.”
Such a grid will, hopefully in the future, be responsive to both the supply of electricity available at any one moment and to consumer demand. Ideally real-time interaction will be possible, so allowing a consumer to decide at any moment whether to use a particular piece of electronic equipment.
The terminology around this innovative technology includes “demand response“, “smart meters“, “advanced metering infrastructure” (AMI), “home area network” (HAN), “dynamic pricing” etc.
Wikipedia draws attention to the importance of smart grid companies in the “cleantech” market.
ETYM
It is smart, i.e. it is clever.
Smart – often used for a gadget with computer “intelligence” built in.
Smart card
A card with a computer chip in it, giving it “intelligence”.
Smart phone (or smartphone)
An advanced mobile phone with many of the characteristics of a personal computer.
See: Wikipedia
