We are wrapping up our first eLab workshop here in San Diego today and I think I can speak for all participants when I say that this has been a truly unique and valuable experience. Thanks to our partners at REOs, who are way smarter but less smug than we are :), we had field trips, played with Legos and took walks with one another, all in and around spending long hours debating the challenges, needs and opportunities presented by the electric power systems as it exists today; all in an effort to define and get commitment to real action to move the system forward.

As the workshop unfolded over the past few days, it clear that eLab is an effort that goes way beyond the Smart Grid to focus on the nexus of technologies, participants, rules and business models that interact at the "distributed edge" of the power system. As we hoped, its evolved into a truly collaborative effort to investigate and address thru practical and directed action the core challenges and unmet needs created by a power system designed, operated and regulated based on principals from the last century.

Cleary, you are correct that aspects of this work have been ongoing for years and many people are already deep into one element or another. With eLab we hope to celebrate these efforts and stand on their shoulders as we launch this integrative and participative laboratory for technical, regulatory, policy and business model innovation for any interested participants across and beyond the electric power sector. I'd be happy to chat with you if you would like additional details about eLab and where we're headed.

Ned Harvey

COO & PV program Director

Rocky Mountain Institute