Smart Grid (R)evolution - Smart Grid (R) Evolution: Electric Power Struggles - page 217

a smart grid can be considered “smart” in many different ways and for many different
purposes.
To appreciate the critical importance of the social dimensions of smart grid, it is useful
to consider the interconnectedness between smart grid innovation and other technology
innovations, particularly in the area of communications. The past decade of innovation in
communication technology has been revolutionary. The explosion of smart phone usage
and expectations of constant connectivity have revolutionized cultural expectations
regarding data, information, and communication access and availability. This is linked
directly to our cultural expectations of electricity access. While it is clear to many of
us that the internet has democratized information, knowledge, and content creation by
providing individuals and communities with access to and control of information, we are
only beginning to imagine how a similar trend in distributed electricity generation could
democratize energy by giving individuals and communities direct control of energy (Rifkin
2011 ) . Some argue that the internet has also centralized control with information about
on-linepurchases,Googlesearches,andphysicalmovementstracked,stored,andsubjectto
search.Bothsmartgridandtheinternetrevolutioncouldcontributetomovingsocietyaway
from a hierarchical model toward a more lateral structure, incorporating more distributed
power and influence - or they could serve to further consolidate access and power in the
hands of a few.
9.3 Power Struggles: Who has Control and Who Benefits
Many of the tensions and controversies surrounding smart grid can be attributed to
struggles over who has control and who benefits from smart grid improvements. The
possibilities for sociotechnical change associated with smart grid offer positive
opportunities for some societal actors and negative, threatening future scenarios for others.
Among the many societal actors involved in smart grid development that we reviewed in
Chapter 4 , established actors like the large utility companies have very different interests
and priorities than do, for example, self-declared locavolts who are seeking novel ways
to generate electricity for themselves. These different actors are striving for different
outcomes, different types of control, and different kinds of benefits. One clear distinction
is between established, incumbent actors and new actors. Our interviews with a diverse
cross-section of agents confirm that incumbents who are well established with years of
working within and benefiting from the current electricity system are generally more
cautious and conservative about the potential for smart grid change than are renewable
energy entrepreneurs or environmental advocates who are eager for transformative change
and see smart grid innovation as an important tool. Many incumbent actors are more likely
to favor slow and incremental change, while newer actors with less firmly established