Smart Grid Systems Code of Ethics

Abstract

The use of smart technology in the electrical distribution industry provides the opportunity to better support the addition of renewable technology. These smart grids utilise enhanced communication systems to enable an intelligent response to changes in the network. However, with them comes ethical concerns that should be addressed during development and operation. This paper investigates these concerns and aims to produce a code of ethics that can be used to guide decision making throughout the smart grid lifecycle. These principles draw from concerns around privacy, socio-political impacts, and safety and security. The result is a set of six principles that address these main issues and are demonstrated in a hypothetical case study.