The JRCs Smart Grid inventory 2014 shows that the number of smart grid projects focusing on smart ผู้ใช้ไฟฟ้า has been increasing since 2005.
Out of total 459 Smart grid projects (R&D and xxDemonstration & xxDeployment), the JRC smart grid inventory identifies 148 projects having smart customer as one of the main project application.
In particular, most of these projects indicate a focus on the residential sector that shows an increasing interest of energy providers to target household consumers.
The geographical distribution of smart grid projects with focus on smart customer shows that the majority of the projects are located in EU15 Member States (Figure 2).
In the EU 15, most of the projects are concentrated in a few countries; Denmark, France, UK and the Netherlands. However, if weighted by budget, it emerges that Spain and Italy have projects with bigger budgets.
The analysis of the JRC Smart Grid inventory shows an increasing number of smart grid projects focusing on consumer as part of a community, this being a neighbourhood, a city or in some cases a region.
In particular, the analysis of multinationals smart grid projects started in 2013 that have a focus on smart consumers reveal an approach to smart grids as complex socio-technical systems emphasizing the need to embed energy infrastructure in a broader context that goes beyond technological change.
In this view, social dynamics are considered crucial in achieving a more efficient and environmentally compliant energy system. The integration of energy, information and social networks is seen as central to the success of smart grid deployment at energy community level.