China to become world’s largest smart grid user

China has taken to smart grid technology big time.

China intends to install over 300 million smart meters in 2015, a massive increase of 730% from the 36 million smart meters installed in 2011.

Its State Grid Corporation of China is to invest US$47 billion in power grid construction over five years. About US$100 billion of this amount will be used to advance the smart grid technology.

This investment will make China the world's largest smart grid market. China’s aim is to become the world leader in smart grid technology.

State Grid is the world's largest electric power transmission and distribution company serving an area with over 1 billion persons.

This investment is expected to have a huge influence in the development of smart grid infrastructure, design and management in China, but also throughout the world.

State Grid's sales have increased by an average of 13% a year from 2006 to 2011. Electricity sales have risen from 1,710 terawatt-hours to 3,093 TWh within the period.

By 2015, installed clean energy power generation in China will reach 32% making China world leader in hydro and other renewable energy generation.

A smart grid is a digitally enabled electrical grid that gathers, distributes and acts on information about the behavior of all electricity users in an area in order to improve the efficiency of electricity services.