On Jan 20 2010 the DC area members of the Internet Society held a discussion: “Choices for the Smart Grid“. The electric power grid–and the appliances in your home–are being networked, enabling electric utilities to better control electric power generation, consumption, and distribution–and give consumers ways to save energy and money. But it is not clear how the Smart Grid will develop. Will the Smart Grid be fully integrated with the Internet or will proprietary technologies and security concerns make that difficult? What steps will be needed to ensure the security of the Smart Grid? How will the Smart Grid interoperate with home networks and other systems? Will each utility and each country adopt different approaches or will there be global standards–and who will set those standards?

Details, slides and video below:

Introductory remarks by Donald Lindberg, Director, National Library of Medicine, NIH.

Discussion leaders:
– Fred Baker, Fellow, Cisco Systems, and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Internet Society and former Chairman of the IETF (slides)
– Katherine Hamilton, President, GridWise Alliance (slides)
– Harry Wingo, Policy Counsel, Google
– Don Von Dollen, Program Manager, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

Moderators:
– Sally Wentworth, Internet Society
– Michael R. Nelson, Visiting Professor, Internet Studies, Georgetown University