Regulatory and Policy Framework for Smart Grids: A Comparative Analysis of the US, EU and China

Abstract:

Smart grids represent the next evolution of energy infrastructure, incorporating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, renewable energy integration, and real-time monitoring to enhance grid efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. With such systems networked all over the world, there is a high demand for a proper regulatory and policy framework that will nurture the growth of such systems. This paper describes the current trends in smart grid technologies and sketches out the demands made on formative policymakers to develop adaptive and safe regulatory frameworks. It looks into data privacy, cybersecurity, and decentralized energy markets, as well as the incorporation of electric vehicles and blockchain in energy trading. This article uses case studies based in the United States, European Union, China, and India to present a wide range of regulatory policies and pinpoint some of the central recommendations on how to improve smart grid policies, such as standard harmonization, investment incentives, and social fairness. Through resolving these issues, the article proposes to have a better and elaborate knowledge of how to ensure that regulatory frameworks support the successful application of smart grids, leading to a cleaner and resilient energy future.