Alstom Grid and Toshiba Corporation has announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under which they will discuss a complementary partnership in the smart grid business.

The two companies will investigate cooperation and comprehensive collaboration drawing on their respective capabilities in smart grid technologies and know-how. The goal is to realize wide-ranging electricity management solutions that can be applied in diverse regions and environments to achieve consistent outcomes and support secure energy supply.

Alstom Grid is a recognized leader in electricity grid management solutions, able to provide end-to-end transmission and distribution equipment and to support it with advanced controls, such as EMS (energy management system) for managing balance of power generation and demand side. Toshiba has strengths in customer-point power distribution equipment and a product line-up that includes smart meters and advanced storage batteries. These capabilities will provide the basis for synergies between the companies.

Through this collaboration, Alstom Grid and Toshiba expect to develop systems that support wide scale integration of renewable energy sources into the grid and help to bring down the cost of power. They will also consider how best to promote the smart grid business globally.