Perfect Power Seal of Approval: The Genesis

The nonprofit Galvin Electricity Initiative was started by former Motorola CEO Bob Galvin in order to catalyze smart grid development based on quality management processes and smart system design. Quality processes have, for 50 years, been helping industries such as health care, telecommunications and manufacturing maximize the value of their improvements and investments. Quality processes catalyze innovation, eliminate waste and improve product performance. Thus far, however, these methods have not been widely used in the electricity industry. Using them could ensure that smart grid investments deliver multiple benefits as well as ongoing savings — a goal that many smart grid developers are struggling to reach.

When applied to grid modernization, quality processes ensure that smart grid development is based on the needs of the consumers and businesses it serves. They suggest a series of performance criteria such as reliability, environmental performance and costs for both suppliers and consumers. These performance standards — our Perfect Power criteria — have guided the development of the Initiative’s prototype smart microgrid systems that are serving as models for smart grid transformation nationwide. The criteria are discussed more here. These criteria are forming the basis of the Perfect Power Seal of Approval program.