Smart Grids and Consumer Attitude Toward Sustainable Development

The electrical system is experiencing many challenges, including the increasing use of renewable energy sources characterized by high variability, the need to take action to mitigate climate change, the need to restructure the aged infrastructure, and then the development of smart grids. New ways of interplay between consumers and producers have emerged, but their implications have not been fully analyzed. This article analyzes the most relevant barriers that are perceived by consumers as obstacles to the development of smart grids, using a literature review. Our findings indicate that there are four relevant barriers: costs, privacy, cyber security, and regulatory aspects. Consumers must be informed in a transparent and convincing way. Indeed, electricity consumers play a key role in the development of smart grid technologies, since they will play the crucial role in the future electricity market.