Smart Grid in Rural America Electric rates are often the same between rural and urban settings, even while infrastructure and outage management costs vary. How likely is it that the Smart Grid will be equally valuable to both? Ultimately, each utility will have to weigh costs and benefits to determine the value of infrastructure investments, smart or otherwise. Jan 9, 2009    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   6 Active Comment(s)

Interoperability 101: The Basics of an Interoperable Grid Most experts agree that the Smart Grid must be interoperable – that it must be constructed from interchangeable, "plug-and-work" components. But how do we achieve this around the country and around the world? EPRI expert Joe Hughes lays it out for us in this installment of his ongoing series. Nov 26, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   1 Active Comment(s)

How Environmental Benefits Can Help Pay for the Smart Grid The Smart Grid is one of the fastest, cheapest ways to cut emissions. The Modern Grid Strategy team is here with links to the studies that prove it. The team also provides the tools you need to inform ratepayers and regulators about Smart Grid environmental benefits as a means to cost-justify grid upgrades. Nov 20, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion

How Private Investment Is Pushing Utilities to the Edge Private investment is outpacing utility investment at the Edge (the portion of the electricity network geared to the consumer side of the meter). As a result, says Steve Pullins, utilities are at risk of becoming detached from and irrelevant to customers. He has the numbers to prove it, including one trend line that shows utilities losing as much as half of their revenue by 2028. Oct 27, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   2 Active Comment(s)

$12B and Change - How the GridWise Interoperability Framework Can Save Time and Money Interoperability done right can save the Smart Grid industry an estimated $12B per year. GridWise Interoperability experts Dave Hardin and Rik Drummond explain how to go from plug-and-pray to plug-and-play and even all the way to plug-and-work. And they issue an invitation to an important interoperability event. Oct 21, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   1 Active Comment(s)

The Untapped Value of Backup Generation Despite new guidelines and regulations such as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1547 have come a long way in addressing interconnection standards for distributed generation, utilities have largely overlooked the untapped potential of these resources. Under certain conditions, these units (primarily backup generators) represent a significant source of power that can deliver utility services at lower costs than traditional centralized solutions. Sep 19, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   1 Active Comment(s)

Why Gore and Pickens Have Energy Backwards (and Kevin Costner Had It Right) Bless Al Gore and T. Boone Pickens for proposing ambitious energy plans. But when it comes to the Smart Grid, both of them are suggesting “if they come, then we will build it.” Sorry, but that’s backwards. Any realistic national energy policy must start with grid modernization. Alex Zheng explains why if we build it, prosperity will come. Aug 1, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   4 Active Comment(s)

The Smart Grid – How Do We Get There? The path to implementing the Smart Grid is a long and complex journey that needs to be broken down into manageable and understandable steps. It takes gaining an understanding of what the Smart Grid is, and then setting milestones that break down the Smart Grid implementation into manageable 'chunks'. Read how NETL’s Modern Grid Strategy team has defined how to achieve the Smart Grid effectively and efficiently. Jun 26, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   3 Active Comment(s)

Will the Wilderness Society stop the Smart Grid? Smart Grid News invited the Wilderness Society to provide its rationale for suing DOE on transmission corridor designation -- read and give us your opinion. Will the Wilderness Society stop the Smart Grid? May 13, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   6 Active Comment(s)

Dynamic Pricing is Smart Grid’s Secret Sauce Dynamic pricing delivers consumer choice, optimizes fuel use, reduces load and reduces emissions -- all made possible by the Smart Grid. How does it happen and why does it work? May 13, 2008    Read the Full Story   Join the Discussion   1 Active Comment(s)

SMART GRID NEWS TALK BACK BUZZ Meters for smart grid Where can I find additional information of the manufacturing of the meters for the smart grid system? ... Talk Back right now to Jim Austin