Electric Grid Modernization: How You Can Help Make a Smarter Grid

The National Academy of Engineering hailed the electric power grid as the 20th century's engineering innovation most beneficial to our civilization. A 21st century electric system is essential to America's ability to lead the world and create jobs in the clean-energy economy of the future. Specifically, California is embarking on an effort to further modernize its electric grid, often referred to as developing a Smart Grid, in order to support many of California's overall energy and sustainability policies, including Governor Brown's goal to install 12,000 MW of renewable distributed generation by 2020. The California electric investor-owned utilities (IOUs) have recently developed Smart Grid Deployment Plans, which outline their grid modernization visions. At the national level, there is notable ongoing work related to interoperability and other Smart Grid standards, such as by the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) and the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE).