Beyond Metering: 10 Pretty Darn Interesting Stimulus-Funded Smart Grid Projects

As part of our stimulus update, we’ve highlighted (in no particular order) 10 stimulus-funded Smart Grid projects that we think are just plain interesting – and in some cases just plain exciting. See if you agree, and then use the Talk Back comment form at the bottom of the page to tell us about other stimulus projects on your radar (and why).

1.     Liquid Metal Grid-Scale Batteries: The cool thing here is the potential to break through the cost barrier needed for mass adoption of grid-scale energy storage. This all-liquid metal battery developed by an MIT scientist is based on low cost, domestically available liquid metals. If it works this technology could enable round-the-clock power from America's wind and solar power resources. ― $6,949,624 award from ARPA-E to Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2.     The Pecan Street Project: This project in Austin is getting a lot of attention and in fact two of the people involved wrote about it for SGN recently. This initiative builds on Austin Energy's existing Smart Grid programs by creating a microgrid that will initially link 1,000 residential smart meters, 75 commercial meters, and plug-in electric vehicle charging sites. Perhaps as interesting as what they’re doing is how this progressive not-for-profit entity is making the Pecan Street project happen. ― $10,403,570 Smart Grid demonstration grant from DOE

3.     AEP Ohio gridSMART Demonstration Project: The piece of this project that piqued our interest is  S&C Electric’s Community Energy Storage System that is expected to provide benefits to both the utility and its customers. For example: improved distribution line efficiencies to reduce power losses; reliable, local back-up power for customers in case of outages; integration of community renewable power resources, and support for plug-in electric car deployment, which reduces peak power demands on the grid due to charging and offers a “green” alternative by reusing increasingly popular electric car batteries. ― $75 million Smart Grid demonstration grant from DOE

4.     Arizona Public Service solar demonstration project: Working with GE researchers and three other partners APS will explore how to reliably integrate larger penetrations of solar power with the grid. The utility plans to integrate 1.5 megawatts of solar power on a single “feeder” (or energy distribution area). GE researchers will be collecting data and doing power systems analysis on how the large influx of solar into this distribution network impacts the grid. ― $3.3 million High Penetration Solar Deployment grant from the DOE

5.     Midwest ISO synchrophasor implementation: This three-year program will place 150 synchrophasors (or PMUs) that will measure voltage and current within the Eastern Interconnection. The devices can monitor the state of the grid 30 times every second, increasing the efficiency and reliability of power delivery. We like how Midwest ISO President/CEO John R. Bear put it: "Synchrophasors will bring a new level of measurement to the grid, similar to what the MRI has done for diagnostic medicine.”  ― $17.3 million Smart Grid Investment Grant from DOE

6.     GE Smart Grid pilot on Maui: In the isolated resort community of Wailea – located in the most fossil-fuel dependent state in the country – GE and Hawaii Electric are testing wall-mounted meters that will monitor power consumption of household appliances and let customers know when peak demand periods occur. The goal is reduce peak electricity consumption by 15% by 2012. ― $14 million Smart Grid Investment Grant from DOE

7.     R&D to improve IT and Communications energy efficiency: This entry encompasses a category of stimulus awards for 14 projects. We’re calling it out because it makes so much sense if you think about the rapid growth of – and additional electricity demands – of data processing, data storage and telecommunications. The strategy here is that finding ways to improve energy efficiency in these sectors can result in huge energy and cost savings. The awards fall into three areas: equipment and software, power supply chain and cooling. They range in size, with Yahoo getting the biggest piece at $9.9 million. ― $47 million in stimulus funds from the DOE

8.     Energy East Advanced CAES Demonstration Plant:  We said some of these are just plain interesting, and this energy storage project by New York State Electric & Gas fits the bill. It uses an existing salt storage cavern to demonstrate an advanced, less costly 150 MW Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) technology plant. It will include a Smart Grid control system to improve grid reliability and enable the integration of wind and other intermittent renewable energy resources. ― $29.5 million energy storage demonstration grant from DOE

9.     1366 Technologies solar cells from silicon: Making solar technology cheaper would obviously make it more competitive – and Massachusetts firm 1366 Technologies is developing a shorter, waste-free silicon solar cell making process that it says could cut production costs by 80%. ― $4 million in stimulus funds from ARPA-E

10.  Optimizing Regional Transmission System Operation: This demonstration project utilizes an advanced Smart Grid software technology from Boeing with military-grade cybersecurity for improving regional transmission system planning and operation. The project includes Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs) and utilities that collectively serve all or part of 21 states and more than 90 million people. $8.5 million regional demonstration project funding from DOE

Now it’s your turn. Tell us about Smart Grid projects on your radar – and why you think they’re important. Use the Talk Back comment box below.

You might also be interested in …

Smart Grid Stimulus Update: The Journey Has Begin, But There’s a Long Road Ahead

Smart Grid Demonstration and Energy Storage Grant Awards

How to Spot the Real Stimulus Winners

Smart Grid Stimulus news and commentary

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