Siemens' Raj Batra on Smart Grid #CSIA2010

April 29, 2010

Raj Batra, president of Siemens Industry in the USA gave a discussion of what Smart Grid means to the automation industry, to the culture, and to individual people.

"Smart Grid means different things to different people."

"The magnitude of change will rival the Internet."

"20 years ago, who predicted Twitter, iTunes and the Kindle?"

 "Energy prices are volatile and rising. This is part of the perfect storm brewing around smart grid."

Raj Batra, president of Siemens Industry in the USA gave a discussion of what Smart Grid means to the automation industry, to the culture, and to individual people.

"Smart Grid means different things to different people."

"The magnitude of change will rival the Internet."

"20 years ago, who predicted Twitter, iTunes and the Kindle?"

 "Energy prices are volatile and rising. This is part of the perfect storm brewing around smart grid."

"Energy demand is increasing. Slower growth in the developed world will be compensated for by incresed demand in the developing world."

 "Renewables must become part of the energy mix."

"We can't shift our energy base load overnight."

"More upside to solar than we thought."

"Grid modernization and investment are overdue."

"We are in a time of intense investment in modernizing our grid."

"We are working with DoE on a prototype cyber-safe grid design."

"Through these investments, our energy sources will become more reliable, efficient, secure and sustainable."

"The industrial sector can have the greatest impact on bringing the smart grid to life. The industrial sector is the largest energy consumer."

"Five Easy targets for energy management today: lighting, boilers compressors chillers, motors& drives, control, networking and power infrastructure, power quality and consumption monitoring."

"Most of these kinds of projects have paybacks of less than three years." 

"Remember, at bottom it is about adding money to the bottom line."