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BG&E Unveils Ambitious Metering Initiative By Jul 14, 2009 - 4:29:19 PM
BG&E Rolls Out 2 Million Meter Initiative; Seeks $200 Million from Feds
Baltimore Gas & Electric is planning what may be one of the most ambitious Smart Grid initiatives in the country: installation of two million advanced smart meters in customer homes and businesses throughout its service area. The new meters would allow two-way communications and enable smart energy pricing — and give customers more detailed information about their energy consumption. BG&E estimates that customers would save about $2.6 billion over the life of the project. The utility would recover its $500 million in project costs through customer surcharges, but the surcharge would be significantly offset if BG&E succeeds in its quest for $200 million in DOE stimulus funds. The company has asked regulators to hold legislative hearings in August and make a decision on the proposed program by the end of September because grants will be awarded in October. DOE has indicated that programs with state backing are more likely to win the stimulus gold.
Quick Take: This may or may not be a slam dunk. While BG&E contends that the proposed program would reduce peak power demand by 500 MW (the equivalent of constructing a new power plant at a much lower cost), there has been criticism about the proposal's price tag and requests for evidentiary hearings rather than legislative-style hearings.
Hawaii and Texas Join States on Receiving End of ARRA Money
Hawaii, Maine, Nebraska, New Mexico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Texas are the most recent recipients of DOE's State Energy Program (SEP) awards, with grants totaling $141 million. These states have submitted statewide plans to prioritize energy savings, create or keep jobs, increase renewable energy use, and cut down greenhouse gas emissions. The awards represent 40% of the total funding the states will receive. Statewide totals are: Hawaii, $10.372 million; Maine, $10.922 million; Nebraska, $12.364 million; New Mexico, $12.728 million; Northern Marianas, $7.460 million; and Texas, $87.513 million. An initial 10% was awarded to support planning activities and the remaining 50% will be on its way after the states have met the accounting, reporting, and oversight milestones that ARRA requires. Click the links below for more information.
Startup Seeks Stimulus Money to Prove New Ultracapacitor Technology
Graphene Energy, an Austin, Texas-based startup, has applied for various ARRA funds to continue development of is ultracapacitor technology that uses graphene for electrode material. Graphene is a sheet of carbon that is a single atom thick and, the company says, capable of providing twice the storage capacity of ultracapacitors that are on the market now. CEO Dileep Agnihotri said significant progress has been made in the lab and that the company anticipates reaching its goal by the end of the year. Ultracapacitors have super-fast charge and discharge rates, but they are still well behind batteries in actual energy storage. Prospective applications include hybrid and electric vehicles and electrical grids. The specific amount of funding sought wasn't noted.
The American Public Power Association will offer advice on applying for broadband stimulus funding as part of its July 26-29 conference in San Francisco. The workshop will address funding opportunities, how to successfully apply for ARRA funds, eligibility requirements, and funding priorities and criteria. Fees are $350 for APPA members and $550 for nonmembers. Pre-conference seminars also are scheduled. More details on the workshop and conference are available through the link below.
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