Key Actor Perspectives on Smart Grids

This paper aims at investigating how the implementation of smart grids takes place in the context of the Swedish power market. We performed an exploratory study that in its first step has pinpointed the key actors involved in smart grid implementation. In this respect, we have identified several public and private organizations that are relevant to the development, making, operation and use of smart grids such as power transmission and distribution system operators, producers, energy service providers, researchers, regulatory authorities etc. Subsequently, we focused on analyzing the motives and incentives of those key actors and thus identifying the potential challenges, in terms of barriers and opportunities. We applied theories on technological development and industrial networks in order to shed more light on the phenomenon under investigation. Keywords—smart grid; implementation; key actors; incentives, barriers; opportunities