The International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) strives for the accelerated development and deployment around the world of smarter, cleaner electricity grids—as in “smart grids.” ISGAN’s national experts come from 26 countries and the European Commission and include engineers, analysts, academics, industry executives, government officials, project managers, policymakers, technology providers, and utility planners. In coordination with the International Energy Agency (IEA), Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), and other strategic partners, ISGAN is committed to identifying emerging advances, sharing best practices, and raising high-level government awareness on the value and impact of smarter grids.

ISGAN facilitates dynamic knowledge exchange, technical assistance, peer review, and activity coordination among its participants and stakeholders. Policy analysis and recommendations are a top priority for ISGAN. Unbiased technical expertise and direct interaction with policymakers are two major assets on which ISGAN can base its leadership.

(see also ISGAN Brochure)

Smart and robust electricity grids play a key role in building system flexibility, maintaining system reliability, and enabling more rapid greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions through the:

• Dynamic management of electricity demand and application of energy-efficient technologies to their full potential;
• Better utilization of existing electricity generation assets;
• Integration of growing supplies of both utility-scale and distributed clean energy systems, especially renewables, battery storage, and the expanding fleet of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; and
• Overall improvement of operational efficiencies within the power sector.

Smarter and more flexible power grids are critical to achieving individual and collective resiliency, clean energy, and climate objectives. 

To update existing and build future grids, ISGAN is accelerating progress on key aspects of smart grid policy, technology, and investment through voluntary participation by governments and their designees in collaborative projects and programs.

ISGAN is especially focused on clarifying and promoting specific aspects of the smart grid where governments have policy or regulatory authority, expertise, convening power, or other leverage. Together, ISGAN’s activities help to show and promote the overall significance of what has been done globally in the field of smart grids, to identify forthcoming challenges, and to help realize emerging opportunities.

Background

2010, ISGAN is launched in Washington D.C. at the first Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) meeting. The initiative evolves from CEM’s commitment to policies and programs that accelerate the global transition to clean energy.

2011, ISGAN is formally established as the International Energy Agency (IEA) Implementing Agreement for a Co-operative Programme on Smart Grids, operating as a “Technology Collaboration Programme” under the IEA Framework for International Energy Technology Co-operation.

2013, ISGAN membership expands across five continents and includes 24 participating countries and the European Commission.

2014, ISGAN expands to include Annex 5: Smart Grid International Research Facility Network (SIRFN), bringing together a diverse array of research and testing facilities.

2015, The first annual ISGAN Award of Excellence is launched to celebrate exemplars in smart grid projects and promote the adaptation of their proven best practices in other countries and jurisdictions.

2016, Launch of the ISGAN Knowledge Transfer Platform (KTP). The KTPs offer dynamic spaces where interdisciplinary groups of participants with complementary competencies contribute to the development of joint ISGAN knowledge products, policy messages, and targeted technical assistance. ISGAN will complete its 9th KTP project in 2023.

2016, Beginning of ISGAN Virtual Learning webinars. Every year, ISGAN hosts dozens of webinars where participants from academia, government, non-profits, and industry gather to demonstrate and share best practices and the latest smart grid research.

2018, ISGAN continues to expand its international reach and to serve as a partner for domestic and international efforts including the Global Smart Energy Federation, and the India Smart Grid Forum.

2019, ISGAN Annex 3 releases the smart grid evaluation toolkit, which integrates Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) within a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) framework.

2021, The Annexes are transformed into Working Groups (WGs) with WG 3-Cost Benefit Analysis Toolkit, WG 5-SIRFN, WG 6-Power T&D Systems, WG 7-Smart Grid Transitions, WG 9-Flexibility Markets, and a cross-cutting Communications Working Group (focused also on deep knowledge exchange).

2022, ISGAN signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Global Smart Energy Federation and a letter of intent with the Mission Innovation: Green Powered Future Mission at the Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

2022, A new strategy and structure process is completed, and Request for Extension (RfE) is finalized.

Executive Committee