The lack of federal legislation for energy-related reform in 2004 left the electrical transmission system, known as the grid, in dismal shape as electrical use continued to climb very rapidly. According to an article in the November 2009 issue of Baseline magazine entitled, “Is the Smart Grid a dumb idea” by Dave Greenfield: “The American Continue reading →
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Westar Energy, Inc. has announced that it has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for funding under the Smart Grid Investment Grant program. Westar will move forward with its SmartStar Lawrence project, bringing smart grid technology to the Lawrence, Kansas area. Approximately $40 million in combined funding from the DOE and Continue reading →
Black Hills Corp.’s electric utilities will receive $20.7 million in stimulus grants from the U.S. Department of Energy for “smart grid” projects in Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota. Rapid City, S.D.-based Black Hills (NYSE: BKH) has a corporate office in Golden. Its utility arm serves 759,000 power customers in southern Colorado as well as neighboring Continue reading →
Eight companies and their collaborative partners have been given grants totaling £2.8 million by the U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) for research and demonstration of smart energy technologies. The grants, which will support smart grid development to a total value of £7.6 million, are part of the U.K.’s plan to move to Continue reading →
Westar Energy, Inc. announced that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for funding under the Smart Grid Investment Grant program. Westar reported it will now move forward with its SmartStar Lawrence project, bringing smart grid technology to the Lawrence, Kansas area. via Westar Energy’s Smart Grid Funding Application Earns Approval Continue reading →
NB Power has been given $2.4 million by the New Brunswick Environment Department to support the development of a smart grid. Environment Minister Rick Miles says, “Investments such as this will ensure that New Brunswick meets its goal set out in the climate change action plan.” via New Brunswick to Develop a Smart Grid.
Reliant Energy has finalized its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for approximately $20 million in funding to develop and deliver innovative energy solutions for Texas electricity customers. Reliant is the only competitive electricity provider in Texas to have been selected to receive a grant through American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. via Reliant Continue reading →
IDACORP, Inc. (NYSE: IDA) subsidiary Idaho Power signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), securing $47 million in stimulus funding as part of the DOE’s Smart Grid Initiative. Idaho Power’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program, including smart meters, was previously approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. The AMI program provides the Continue reading →
Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) today announced that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for funding under the Smart Grid Investment Grant program. Westar will now move forward with its SmartStar Lawrence project, bringing advanced smart grid technology to the Lawrence, Kan. area. via U.S. Department of Energy Approves Westar Continue reading →
Governor David A. Paterson today announced that $24 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding has been awarded to 206 energy conservation projects. These energy efficiency and renewable energy projects will help 137 municipalities throughout the State reduce energy and operating costs by $3.3 million annually and fully return the initial investment in Continue reading →
With the Obama Administration having earmarked $3.4 billion in Recovery Act funds to spur the energy industry’s transition to a smart energy grid, the impetus is clearly there for utilities to start making progress on this important modernization of the nation’s energy delivery system. Oracle polled C-level executives from its substantial roster of energy industry Continue reading →
Oh, the endless issues with the smart grid stimulus funds — the close to $4 billion in federal grants to over 130 smart grid projects. With that level of funding there were bound to be some hurdles. Here’s another: speed. On Thursday morning at the Wall Street Journal’s Eco:nomics conference, the CEO of Florida power Continue reading →
Onvia, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONVI) is tracking 2,700 energy efficiency, renewable energy, and transmission upgrade projects kicking off in 2010 as a result of funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law a year ago. Worth billions, these projects will lay the foundation for a green economy that will fuel job and business Continue reading →
Companies that receive U.S. stimulus grants from a $3.4 billion smart-grid electricity project will not be taxed on those funds by the federal government, the Treasury Department said today. The decision lets the Energy Department proceed with grant agreements in the coming weeks, according to a joint statement from the Treasury and Energy departments. via Continue reading →
Glendale Water & Power will begin this spring a demonstration project of a smart grid system funded by a federal grant. The project will install 1,500 electric and water meters that allow for two-way communication between the customer and the city-owned utility giving real-time electricity usage data that will help save on Energy costs. Glendale Continue reading →
The ins and outs of tomorrow’s energy grid will be tested on an unprecedented scale in Chicago. Local utility ComEd, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, will use $5 million in Recovery Act funding to institute the program, which will initially outfit 8,000 homes with advanced smart meters in order to test how well consumers manage Continue reading →
THE nature of the power grid is about to fundamentally change, analyst Paul Budde believes. Instead of a central power station pushing energy out to homes, farms and business sites around the grid, many sites will become capable of generating renewable power and sharing it around the grid via a “smart” management system that uses Continue reading →
You may already know this, but our power grid system has been largely left alone for half a century. We’re using inefficient grid technology to try to thread power across our country and in the process are losing precious energy and a lot of cash. As part of the infamous American Reinvestment and Recovery Act–or Continue reading →
Smart meter maker Itron reported better than expected fourth quarter and annual 2009 earnings late Wednesday. That wasn’t too shocking given Itron has been expected to turn around this year as it has started shipping significant volumes of smart meters to utilities. But what was surprising in the company’s conference call was this nugget that Continue reading →
S&C Electric Co. has been selected by American Electric Power (AEP) for the utility’s gridSMART Project in Ohio following AEP’s award of $75 million in Department of Energy (DOE) stimulus funding. The AEP Ohio gridSMART Demonstration Project will be deployed to 110,000 AEP Ohio customers in northeast central Ohio. It will integrate a range of Continue reading →
