Smart Meters and Electric Grid Flexibility

Overview

The transition to clean energy requires a change in how we use electricity, not just how we produce it. This change includes a shift in the time we use electricity, so that we can reduce our reliance on the polluting and expensive power plants typically used to meet peak daytime demand, as well as flexibility, so that we can better match our electricity use to variable electricity generation from sources like wind and solar. Smart meters (also Advanced Metering Infrastructure or AMI) are one of many tools that can enable us to manage the way we use electricity and better integrate renewable resources.