DOE Announces $620 Million in Smart Grid Project Grants
While the Smart Grid we needed years ago is still years away, the Obama administration took a step forward today as Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $620 million in stimulus awards for 32 Smart Grid demonstration projects benefiting 21 states. A decidedly feel-good video that is nonetheless educational was released along with the announcement and explains (in broad terms at least) what the DOE aims to achieve with its Smart Grid investment. View it after the jump. Last month, President Obama promised 100 grants totaling $3.4 billion in eventual Smart Grid funding, but for now it seems the DOE is at least getting serious about launching some demo projects to test novel transmission and storage technologies. Half of the projects – and at $435 million, the bulk of the funds – will go toward Smart Grid tech that allows the grid to communicate in real time with utilities, homes and appliances,...