Smart Grid Technologies: Transmission Takes the Plunge

There's a 33-mile electricity transmission line that spans San Francisco Bay — and it's under water. There's another one in New Jersey and more ambitious underwater projects in the works. While laying cable under water presents a unique set of challenges, public opposition to overhead lines and other issues have been severe stumbling blocks for integrating renewable energy sources with the Smart Grid. Read more about underwater transmission projects.

Quick Take: This instance of Smart Grid technology innovation is a good example of "If you can't go through it, go around it" (or in this case, under it). It's obvious that thousands more miles of transmission lines are essential to meet the needs of growing electricity demand and to bring far-flung renewable sources such as wind online. But NIMBY, environmental and jurisdictional issues (that's the short list) have been the grid-scale wet blanket smothering transmission projects. While there are significant cost and technology challenges to laying underwater cable, we've seen negligible opposition from environmentalists and none from the public.

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