The Texas A&M University College of Architecture today announced the formation of a new six-month research consortium beginning May 1, 2010 to help electric cooperatives, municipal and other public utilities evaluate the business case for smart grid investments.
Electric smart grids, which can provide integrated communication, automation and control of the entire electric system from generating plants to the operation of electric equipment inside homes, commercial buildings and industrial plants, can reduce utility customer costs by reducing expensive peak hour electricity use. However, smart grid investments are expensive, often requiring large up-front costs that can take a number of years to recover.
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