The ISGAN Lighthouse Project on Smart Distribution Grids is a global initiative supporting the shift toward smarter, more resilient electricity distribution systems—key to achieving clean energy goals and integrating increasing shares of renewable energy.
Smart distribution grids are complex, involving a wide range of actors—from distribution system operators and municipalities to regulators, technology providers, and end-users. Planning and implementation often happen in silos, under conditions of uncertainty, and within governance frameworks that are slow to adapt.
To address these challenges, the Lighthouse Project fosters international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and system innovation. It brings together ISGAN members and partners to co-create practical insights and forward-looking approaches to long-term distribution grid planning.
Following a successful first phase in 2024, the second phase (2025–2026) features several key activities, including a Knowledge Sharing Process focused on transforming how key actors collaborate in complex planning processes, and the development of a new Casebook highlighting pioneering smart grid innovations from ISGAN member countries. By taking a holistic approach to actor ecosystems, the project aims to strengthen coordination and institutional capacity across diverse planning environments.
Together, these activities will result in a set of high-impact knowledge products, to be launched in 2026 in conjunction with the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM17). These outputs will support grid actors around the world in navigating complexity, reducing uncertainty, and accelerating the adoption of smart, sustainable energy solutions.
The Lighthouse Project is not just about new technologies—it’s about building the collaborative and strategic capacity needed to enable long-term transformation. By connecting experiences across borders, sectors, and disciplines, it creates a platform for shared learning, systems thinking, and global action.