Book excerpt: Comprehensive, cross-disciplinary coverage of Smart Grid issues from global expert researchers and practitioners. This definitive reference meets the need for a large scale, high quality work reference in Smart Grid engineering which is pivotal in the development of a low-carbon energy infrastructure. Including a total of 83 articles across 3 volumes The Smart Grid Handbook is organized in to 6 sections: Vision and Drivers, Transmission, Distribution, Smart Meters and Customers, Information and Communications Technology, and Socio-Economic Issues. Key features: Written by a team representing smart grid R&D, technology deployment, standards, industry practice, and socio-economic aspects. Vision and Drivers covers the vision, definitions, evolution, and global development of the smart grid as well as new technologies and standards. The Transmission section discusses industry practice, operational experience, standards, cyber security, and grid codes. The Distribution section introduces distribution systems and the system configurations in different countries and different load areas served by the grid. The Smart Meters and Customers section assesses how smart meters enable the customers to interact with the power grid. Socio-economic issues and information and communications technology requirements are covered in dedicated articles.The Smart Grid Handbook will meet the need for a high quality reference work to support advanced study and research in the field of electrical power generation, transmission and distribution. It will be an essential reference for regulators and government officials, testing laboratories and certification organizations, and engineers and researchers in Smart Grid-related industries.