Politique européenne de l'énergie et transition vers un système énergétique décarboné fondée sur les <span style='font-style: italic;'>Smart Grids</span>

Smart grids are currently presented as ?the? technological solution to meet the challenge of a sustainable energy transition. The aim of this article is to understand the current process of transformation of electrical systems in Europe and examine the mechanisms at work that contribute to make smart grids a central key element of this transformation. More precisely, starting from a Technological Innovation Systems approach, we show that far from being limited to facilitate the coordination of market actors, the European Union has a role of systemic coordination promoting research and development, deployment and generalization of Smart Grid technologies. JEL Codes: O38, Q48