| This week's sponsor is Elster. |  | | consumer satisfaction - improved asset management - increased energy efficiency - www.elster.com |
Today's Top Stories
1. USDA beats smart grid financing goal
2. HAN coming to a household near you
3. NYSERDA guide encourages EV adoption
4. Trilliant smart grid to help Texas co-op beat the heat
5. GE, Xtreme Power invest $100M in battery energy storage Also Noted: Spotlight On... 4th smart grid edition
Home energy batteries; cybersecurity control and much more... Successful smart grid optimization
Many utilities are investigating different ways to derive the most benefit from the deployment of smart grid technology. Smart grid optimization allows a utility to maximize the benefits they receive from their electrical system. Some of these benefits include increased grid stability and system security, reduced outage response times, a better ability to forecast energy demand, and reduced energy rates for their customers. Feature
The impact of broadband
Over the past ten years, broadband growth has remained constant in an otherwise unstable market. Broadband has become a necessity for many – with a number of governments and international bodies pronouncing it a 'human right'. We know that it has made a significant impact on the world -- it has changed the way we live and do business and is continuing to insinuate itself into our lives. Distance is no longer a barrier to keeping in touch. Connected-home services enabled by broadband -- such as home-security, telemedicine and energy control -- are threatening to revolutionize our homes. Feature News From Across the Energy Industry:
1. Atlantic Canada utilities foresee opps in tidal power
2. Pepco smart meters under investigation
3. Thermal energy storage capacity to triple by 2020
Today's Top News 1. USDA beats smart grid financing goal
The USDA has given out more than $250 million in loans, satisfying its goal to finance smart grid technologies to increase the reliability and efficiency of electric power generation. The Agriculture Department will fund up to $269 million in loans for smart grid projects in 10 states, including Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The $250 million investment in loan funds for smart grid technologies means infrastructure investment at virtually no cost to taxpayers, according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Smart grid technology will facilitate the integration of renewable sources of electricity into the grid, help avoid blackouts and restore power quicker when outages occur, and reduce the need for new power plants. Smart grid technologies also provide a foundation for innovation by entrepreneurs and others who can develop tools to empower consumers and help them make informed decisions. For more:
- see this article Related Articles:
USDA funds renewable energy programs
Proposed USDA reg to benefit rural utilities' energy-efficiency programs
131 more projects get USDA energy grants Read more about: USDA smart grid loans
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| This week's sponsor is Clasma Events. |  | | Since 2007-globally recognized as the must-attend event dedicated to the modernization of Smart Grid. |
2. HAN coming to a household near you
Even though the adoption of home area networks is just a fraction of a percent to date, market drivers in energy efficiency and enabling technology are propelling more aggressive levels of growth – 57.5 million by 2020, according to Pike Research. But there are obstacles to HAN's growth, including consumer indifference, high cost of new equipment, evolving standards, and lukewarm utility support. HANs are the logical extension of smart meter deployments, allowing devices inside a home to communicate with the grid and access energy-saving applications. "The opportunity for consumers to save money on their energy bills will be a strong motivator, and HANs that can take advantage of new smart metering capabilities will offer them new ways to do that," said Pike Senior Research Analyst Neil Strother. For more:
- see this article Related Article:
Smart Homes: More than 1 million and counting Read more about: Pike Research
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3. NYSERDA guide encourages EV adoption
Many municipalities may be planning for an EV charging station but lack the experience in proper site design. To assist those organizations contemplating new EV charging stations, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has developed a guide to selecting the best site designs and locations. Smart decisions surrounding new EV charging stations can lower the cost of installation and encourage the purchase of electric cars and trucks. The free 30-page guide is just one document supported by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to encourage best practices for EV charging stations around the region. The guide provides information on reviewing permit applications for proposed EV charging stations to ensure that the new installations are designed most effectively and suggests best practices that site owners can adopt to make charging stations safe and accessible. "New York State, under the leadership of Governor Cuomo, has made significant inroads toward creating a regional infrastructure for electric vehicles," said Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA. For more:
- see this article
- see this article Related Articles:
Poor infrastructure, incentives hinder EV adoption
DOE grant seeks to streamline EV smart grid infrastructure Read more about: NYSERDA EV Charging Station Design Guide
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4. Trilliant smart grid to help Texas co-op beat the heat
Trilliant will roll out a full-scale smart grid deployment with the Victoria Electric Cooperative in Texas. This deployment comes on the heels of a successful 2011 pilot leveraging Trilliant's Communications Platform with multi-tier SecureMesh which enables advanced metering, advanced distribution automation and demand-side management applications. In the extreme Texas heat, the smart grid deployment will provide improved operational efficiency and interval data for Critical Peak Pricing and Time-of-Use rates, as well as enhance outage detection, empowering the co-op to improve the efficiency of power and enabling customers to more accurately manage their energy consumption. The deployment should be completed by the end of 2014. For more:
- see this article
- see this article Related Articles:
Trilliant furthers interoperability
Trilliant makes Global Cleantech 100 list
Aging infrastructure creates supply concerns in Texas, New England Read more about: Victoria Electric Cooperative
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5. GE, Xtreme Power invest $100M in battery energy storage
GE Energy Storage and Xtreme Power, a privately held firm in Austin, have formalized a strategic alliance to work together to provide cutting-edge energy storage solutions combining GE's Durathon battery technology for grid energy storage systems with Xtreme Power's experience as an integrated energy storage turn-key solutions provider. The result of a $100 million initial investment in battery technology developed at GE's Global Research Center, the companies claim the new battery products can last up to ten times longer than conventional lead acid batteries and store more energy in half the space. GE's Durathon battery technology, when paired with Xtreme Power's Xtreme Active Control Technology, a proprietary control system architecture that offers sophisticated control algorithms, real time response, remote monitoring, and optimized power management, should enable safer and more efficient storage of massive quantities of electricity at low cost for grid applications. For more:
- see this article Read more about: Battery Energy Storage
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Also Noted SPOTLIGHT ON... 4th smart grid edition The Smart Grid Dictionary is in its fourth edition of print, with a full 300 more terms addressing natural gas distribution, data privacy, energy assurance, the Internet of Things and machine to machine communications. The Smart Grid Dictionary is more than just a dictionary, providing links to industry energy and policy organizations. Article Quick news from around the Web >Municipal utilities could be the next wave of smart grid investments. Article
>Minnesota electric cooperatives test home energy batteries using smart grid technology. Article
>Taiwan will invest billions in its smart grid plan. Article
>Who has control over cybersecurity in the utility industry? Article > GridWeek 2012 - October 2,4 - Washington, DC Globally recognized as the must-attend gathering dedicated to the modernization of our global Smart Grid. For more information and to register, click here! > GridComms - October 22, 2012 - London, UK GridComms is the global Smart Grid event focused on Smart Grid Communications infrastructure. From deploying and securing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to building smart cities, this show is aimed at bringing communications professionals together to discuss innovation, application, and management of smart grid networks. This event will showcase technology innovation, network and data management, customer engagement technologies, and industry collaboration. For more information and to register, visit www.gridcomms.com.
| > White paper: Smart Planning for Smart Grid AMI Mesh Networks Mesh networks must be properly designed to operate within the constraints of mesh routing protocols and capacity limits This white paper shows how planning/analysis techniques can deliver reliable and scalable networks and outlines best RF design practices to optimize for performance and cost. Download today! > White paper: Cellular Communications and the Future of Smart Metering This paper focuses on Smart Metering as one of the cornerstones of the Smart Grid vision. It explores the drivers and benefits of Smart Metering in an intelligent energy grid and examines the role that cellular technology is playing in these projects. The paper also discusses the critical success factors for Smart Metering communications infrastructures and best practices when designing wireless Smart Metering solutions. Download now. > Whitepaper: Creating Your Smart Grid: A How-to Guide The smart grid promises to bring unprecedented opportunities for both utilities and consumers, improving safety, reliability, efficiency and security. But how do we create the smart grid? What are the technologies to consider? How do the various technologies interoperate? How do we get the traditional applications to work well with the new ones? Download this How-to Guide today! | |
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