Examining potential advances as well as challenges, this book provides a review of current and emerging smart grid applications and technologies. After a comprehensive look at smart grid applications, it introduces technical challenges and design principles are in terms of system architectures, power electronics, communication protocols, hardware development, and software development. Specifically, it discusses energy storage and protection systems, radio technologies, communication and network protocols specifically designed for smart grid applications. In addition, the text presents smart grid standards and regulations as well as a smart grid technology road map and open research issues.