The Smart Grid has gotten plenty of hype and little action, but in the last few days there are serious signs that it may finally be at the tipping point.
What the smart grid needs most of all, of course, is money. Without it, the grid will languish, and IT won’t reap its benefits. Yesterday, the federal government gave the grid a big boost with more than $57 million in stimulus money. That’s a very big boost.
The federal dollars will go towards a wide variety of projects across the country, from Massachusetts to Nevada, California, and out to Hawaii. None directly affect IT at least for now. For example, more than $5.6 million is going to the Consolidated Edison Company of New York, to “develop and demonstrate true interoperability between an energy delivery company and retail electric consumers.”
That may not sound as if it will have a direct benefit for IT, but in the long run, it will. If communications can be developed on the grid between an electric provider and retail consumers, that same kind of technology can be used for businesses as well. And ultimately, two-way communications will allow IT shops to control not just the flow of electricity, but also all devices on the smart grid network, meaning IT gear and more.
via Is the Smart Grid Finally at the Tipping Point? | Green Business | Reuters.
