Smart Grid: Obama To Give $3.4 Billion To Upgrade Electric Grid

Yahoo! News:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President Barack Obama on Tuesday will announce $3.4 billion in government grants to help build a "smart" electric grid that will save consumers money on their utility bills, reduce blackouts and carry power supplies generated by solar and wind energy, the White House said.

It marks the largest award made in a single day from the $787 billion stimulus package approved by Congress, and will create tens of thousands of jobs while upgrading the U.S. electric grid, according to administration officials.

Read the whole story: Yahoo! News

Comments

[InYourWorld]

While this is a step in the right direction this is a paltry amount of money compared to what the banks get for ripping off the public.

Smart grid technology is part of what is needed. We also need increased power transmission capabilities. Places like the Columbia River gorge area and most of Texas offer an insane amount of available wind power. However there is not room for many more wind farms in these area until electrical transmission capacity is increased.

The bug push for wind in the past 10 years has been great, but the focus has been on more efficient wind turbines. Now we have amazingly efficient turbines, so much so that we now don't have the means to transport power. 10 years ago most wind turbines being built would produce about 500 Kb of power (0.5 Megawatts) now standard turbines are producing 2-3 Megawats, at least a 4 fold increase.

There has been much opposition from people in areas that NEED transmission lines, the Not In My Backyard conundrum. Smart grid is nice, but we also need a BIGGER grid.

Of course instead of giving banks 1/2TRILLION dollars we could have paid for easements, started increasing grid capacity and really helped the environment, but the money went to the people that help politicians get elected.

[johnbdickson]

The Administration would be well-served if they bundle in some type of security requirements to the $3.4B. In my experience, so much of the energy on smart grid technologies has focused on the capabilities of the grid, with scant invesment on the security and privacy controls one might expect in such a capable system.

[SinfullySublime]

Long overdue. There is no excuse for a bridge just collapsing.

[MaximMaximus]

The proposed investment is a good idea. Our so-called "critical infrastructure" is in abysmal condition for a top-ranking nation which desires to remain competitive in the 21st century. Our infrastructure is outdated and needs an overhaul asap. What we need to do is a capital investment on all fronts, reminiscent to what President Eisenhower did with the national highway system from which we benefited for over 50 years. It's time to invest for the next 50 years.

[VikingQuest]

Goody, can't wait until they can control the energy use of my house from a central location.

[MaximMaximus]

It's been always controlled. Duh! It comes from a grid and someone is at the switch, and your consumption profile is known by the company providing you the service. Again...duh!

[katooom]

Yeah, these guys are all for energy conservation and energy independence - NOT!

read the next to last paragraph of the article
- entire motorcade of SUVs
- engines idled the entire time to keep AC on

Hypocrites.

[iridium53]

A $3.8Billion upgrade to Electric Grid.

Let's put that in perspective, shall we?

Goldman Sachs, alone, will be giving bonuses of $3.44Billion.

If Obama wants to over-hype a $3.8 Billion investment as a "huge" investment, he'll have to do better.
Espcially since the White House has taken not the slightest action to curb bad banker behavior; and, since the WH funded banker bonuses with taxpayer money.

A Shameful sideshow.

If Obama wants to demonstrate he's getting serious about investing in the economy, trying to build jobs and trying to cut back on energy consumption - he'll have to do better than an amount roughly equivalent to Goldman Sachs bonuses.

[katooom]

"A shameful sideshow"
Spot on Iridium.

Also, read the next to last para of the article.
... his trip to Arcadia made it clear that old habits and dependencies die hard. He arrived in a motorcade of gas-guzzling SUVs. While waiting for the motorcade to get started, several vans kept their engines running to provide air conditioning for occupants escaping a hot Florida sun.

Yeah, these guys are really serious about addressing the root problem - NOT!

[katooom]

'Shameful sideshow'

Sums it up perfectly Iridium.

[JDReign]

Stop looking for anything to complain about. Wall street has nothing to do with upgrading infrastructure like he said he was gonna do and is doing now

[JDReign]

Man oh Man do people have to find fault with everything? Im sorry maybe Im going crazy and the world is going sane but isnt upgrading electrical grids a good thing? I live on the gulf coast and it seems like every week when I come home my clocks need to be reset because the was a power surge in my neighborhood. this wont drive up costs but an old grid that has constant power spikes will and of course there are those with nothing to contribute and try to change the subject like "what about healthcare or wall street" Cmon heres something to try ragher than wait for president Obama to wave a wand and change everything why dont you start by changing pessemistic attitudes

[tyger]

I look forward to BG&E finally doing something for their customers. These people raised our utilities over fifty percent. Maybe the smsrt grids snd meters were whast we paid for.

[katooom]

Then why spend tax money to get BGE to do something you already paid for?

BGE just has it's hand out - once again to scam the taxpayer and the customer.

[VikingQuest]

So your utilities will be going down because of this?

LOOOOLLLLL­LLLLLLLLLL­LLL

[fijisailor]

People, this is infrastructure. This is what the government should be doing with your tax dollars, creating jobs and improving the reliability of our backbone energy systems. Or do you prefer pouring money into the rathole of useless wars?

[CintiBlue]

I'm with you, fijisailor. This stuff is exciting!

[nirek]

We can help by doing the same thing on a smaller scale. I have 24 panels and am very happy about 1613 KWH saved for the months of N&D.
Save over 3 tons from going into the atmosphere.

Nirek

[lightningbolt]

Everyone should be putting solar panels on their house. The savings are enormous.

[2010WillBe1994]

Mo money, Mo money, Mo money.....­..........­..........­...

Spend it like ya stole it!

Oh wait, you did and always will, Dems.

2010=1994

[IcemanXTS]

If by "stole" you mean the Administration is taking OUR tax dollars and putting it to use for OUR country, then yes.

As oppose to the last Admin's goal of taking OUR tax dollars and shipping it overseas...

[PiscesPrincess]

wrong. F Y.

[lightningbolt]

Are you aware that infrastructure spending benefits you? They are using that money to build something for YOU! How can you be unhappy with that?

[IcemanXTS]

Cause ReThugs need instant and direct gratification. If it benefits anyone else or takes too long they no likey.

[Lib Independant]

What I find it funny that Conservatives try to act on fiscal responsibility- A credibility they had lost after going through two wars. When did fiscal responsibily became nothing more than tax cuts and deregulation for the Republicans, instead of actually following the budget?

[audadvnc]

The national electric grid has been in need of significant overhaul for years to accomodate new generation and distribution realities. This is just the kind of activity the government should participate in.

[PiscesPrincess]

absolutamente. and andale.

[ezeflyer]

A great and necessary thing, but only if government allows homes and businesses that produce wind, solar, etc. power to connect to the grid and sell any excess power produced back to the utility without the need for storage batteries, in effect making their meter run backwards. Decentralized power production is key.

[fijisailor]

Most US utilities already support this. Some are more progressive than others. Again government incentives must be provided to support this until the technology matures.

[katooom]

From last para of the article:
"Even as Obama pitched more efficient and renewable energy use, his trip to Arcadia made it clear that old habits and dependencies die hard. He arrived in a motorcade of gas-guzzling SUVs. ... several vans kept their engines running to provide air conditioning for occupants escaping a hot Florida sun."

And just how serious is our country about energy conservation? Not very.

[guyfrombrooklyn]

The one time conservatives who are now ashamed to be called GOPers now try their best to peddle their brand of BS on every left site. Instead of thought out answers, they offer doubt at every turn and comebacks that they believe are original and witty.

Infrastructure improvement would make any nation better, geniuses. If the grid gets improved, we waste less energy, reduce pollution, deliver better services, improve safety, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, create jobs.

But the party of no has a better idea. Let the grid fail again like it did a few years ago, and do nothing about it. As a matter of fact, wait for the LOCAL utility provider to fix it. WAIT and LOCAL being the key words there.

[DavidL88]

Spot on, regarding conservatives. Spot on, regarding infrastructure projects.
Except the entire story is that this isn't building new grid, but repairing the same old one.
He promised a new grid that would augment the long term development of wind and solar projects.
I'm afraid this is a temporary band-aid & mostly putting money in utility company pockets.
Although they'll have a better, more efficient power grid (free of charge), I wonder if they'll lower rates. We'll see.

[PiscesPrincess]

It IS a temporary bandaid and should help until we get a Congress with some B@lls.