Meeting today's energy and climate challenges require not only technological advancement but also a good understanding of stakeholders' perceptions, political sensitivity, well-informed policy analyses and innovative interdisciplinary solutions. This book will fill this gap. This is an interdisciplinary informative book to provide a holistic and integrated understanding of the technology-stakeholder-policy interactions of smart grid technologies. The unique features of the book include the following: (a) interdisciplinary approach - by bringing in the policy dimensions to smart grid technologies; (b) global and Asian perspective and (c) learning from national case studies. This book is organised into five sections. Part 1 discusses the historical and conceptual aspects of smart grids. Part 2 introduces the technological aspects and showcase the state of the art of the technologies. Part 3 explores the policy and governance dimensions by bringing in a stakeholder perspective. Part 4 presents a collection of national case studies. Part 5 shares insights and lesson learnt and provide policy recommendations. This book showcases the state-of-the-art R&D developments and policy experiences. This book contributes to a better understanding of governance institution and policy challenges and helps formulate policy recommendations for successful smart grid deployment.

Introduction: Smart Grids and Sustainable Energy Transformation.- PART I History, Evolution and Latest Development of Smart Grids.- Smart grids: overview of concepts, applications and latest developments.- PART II Technical Characteristics of Smart Grids.- Getting smart: the smart grid systems and the state-of-the-art technologies.- Towards a European renewable-based energy system enabled by smart grid: status and prospects.- Demand response, dynamic pricing and smart metering: enabling energy-saving and smart houses.- Microgrids, virtual power plants and our distributed energy future.-.Transmission and distribution systems of smart grids: current status and future trends.- Communication and Network Security Requirements for Smart Grid.- PART III Stakeholders in Perspective: Interests, Power, and Conflict.- Smart regulation for smart grids.- Smart grids from the consumers' perspective.- A business case for smart grid technologies: a systemic perspective.- PART IV National Case studies.- A smart transmission grid for Europe: challenges in developing grid enabling technologies.- Smart-grid technologies and progress in the USA.- Towards sustainable energy systems through collaboration between government and business: the Japanese case.- Smart grids and socio-technical systems transition: a government-led approach in Korea.- Super smart grid and low carbon economy in China.- Intelligent grid in Australia: a value proposition for distributed energy.- PART V Conclusion.- Conclusions.