FCC Wades into the Smart Grid Pool

The Federal Communications Commission has named Nick Sinai to be their Energy and Environmental Director. The former venture capitalist from Polaris Ventures will head a team to “examine how broadband/communications infrastructure and policies can support our national energy and environmental goals, with an emphasis on the Smart Grid.” Sinai plans to conduct a workshop exploring the relationship between broadband technology and Smart Grid deployments. The FCC is developing regulations governing utilities’ use of the wireless and broadband technologies and is assembling a National Broadband Task Force.

   Quick Take: This is definitely good news for the Smart Grid. Until now, the government’s Smart Grid efforts have been largely the domain of agencies like DOE, FERC, and NIST. But in the last year we have seen more grid-savvy people added to key agencies as well as congressional and senate committees.  It’s good to see these governing bodies upping their Smart Grid quotient.