Eight companies and their collaborative partners have been given grants by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) today to explore smart technology.

The grants are part of the UK's plan to move to smarter energy supplies including smart meters in every home, a smart grid and entire smart cities.

The projects are spread across a range of various technologies supporting smart grid development including storage, distribution load management, demand response controls and a network platform for a future smart grid site in Glasgow. The grants will support smart grid development to a total value of £7.6 million.

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The grants were awarded to:

• Energy Optimizers
• Arqiva Ltd
• Highview Power Storage
• Rltec
• Smart Grid solutions
• National Grid
• Scottish Hydro Electric Power
• SP Distribution

  Energy Minister Lord Hunt said: "Smart technologies will help manage the massive shift to low carbon electricity such as wind, nuclear and clean fossil fuels. They will mean more efficient and reliable delivery of electricity, reducing the costs and emissions from electricity generation and transmission. These projects will place the UK on a solid platform to pursue larger scale and integrated projects in the future.

  "Globally the business of developing smart grids has been estimated at £27 billion over the next 5 years and the UK has the know-how to be part of that. We want to give companies the opportunities and the support to make sure we develop the technologies we need."

  (CD/GK)