Smart Grid Technologies
Posted on | June 26, 2009 | Comments Off
Obama Administration Announces Availability of $3.9 Billion to Invest in Smart Grid Technologies and Electric Transmission Infrastructure
Recovery Act Funding Will Create Jobs, Help Modernize Nation’s Electric Grid
Washington, DC – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that the Department of Energy is soliciting applications for $3.9 billion in grants to support efforts to modernize the electric grid, allowing for greater integration of renewable energy sources while increasing the reliability, efficiency and security of the nation’s transmission and distribution system, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“These investments will be used to develop a smart, strong and secure electrical grid that will help integrate renewable resources onto the grid, deliver power more reliably and effectively with less environmental impact, and create new jobs across the country,” said Secretary Chu. “By investing in updating the grid now, we will lower utility bills for American families and businesses, lessen our dependence on oil, and help advance a clean energy future for the nation.”
Secretary Chu announced the release of the final Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) for $3.9 billion in Recovery Act funds. Approximately $3.3 billion for the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program and $615 million for smart grid demonstration projects will help develop and implement smart grid technologies across the country.
As part of the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program, DOE will provide cost-shared grants to support manufacturing, purchasing and installation of existing smart grid technologies that can be deployed on a commercial scale. Funding under the Smart Grid Demonstration Program will be used to demonstrate how emerging technologies can be applied in innovative ways within the electric delivery system to provide integrated and economically-feasible solutions. The Investment Grant program is intended to enable smart grid functions on the electric system as soon as possible, while the Demonstration program is aimed at identifying and developing new and more cost-effective smart grid equipment, tools, techniques, and system configurations that can significantly improve upon today’s technologies.
The final FOAs reflect the more than 600 comments DOE received on the draft solicitations. The Department previously announced that while the maximum award limits for both programs were being increased, the Department will support projects of all sizes. Under the final solicitations, the maximum award for the Smart Grid Investment Grants will be $200 million; the maximum award for the Smart Grid Demonstrations will be $100 million.
The final FOAs are available at www.fedconnect.net. Search public opportunities for the following reference numbers: Smart Grid Investment Program (DE-FOA-0000058) and Smart Grid Demonstrations (DE-FOA-0000036).
Comments
Tags
Climate Change News
- U.S. Departments of Commerce and the Interior to Cooperate on Climate-Related ActivitiesU.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar formalized an agreement between the two departments to coordinate and cooperate on climate related activities involving science, services, mitigation, adaptation, education and communication. […]
- NOAA: Past Decade Warmest on Record According to Scientists in 48 CountriesThe 2009 State of the Climate report released Wednesday draws on data for 10 key climate indicators that all point to the same finding: the scientific evidence that our world is warming is unmistakable. […]
Earth FAQ
- Where is the detailed report concerning the Bakken Formation?All currently available USGS material on the Bakken Assessment can be found on our website at http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/oilgas/noga/ (choose Bakken/Williston Basin on the map to see available documents), including a summary of the geology, geologic model, and methodology in poster format on our website at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1353/. The more detail […]
- Did you feel an earthquake?To view a map or report a felt earthquake, select your region from this Community Earthquake Intensity Map. The website has a ('Did you feel it?') questionnaire for recording your earthquake experiences. An intensity map is made and updated based on your answers and those of others who fill out the questionnaire. Would you like to sign up for the E […]
- What are seismograms? How do you read them?Seismograms are the records (paper copy) produced by seismographs used to calculate the location and magnitude of an earthquake. They show how the ground moves with the passage of time. On a seismogram, the HORIZONTAL axis = time (measured in seconds) and the VERTICAL axis= ground displacement (usually measured in millimeters). When there is NO EQ reading th […]
U.S. Geological Survey
- Climate Change Implicated in Decline of Horseshoe CrabsLEETOWN, W. Va. — A distinct decline in horseshoe crab numbers has occurred that parallels climate change associated with the end of the last Ice Age, according to a study that used genomics to assess historical trends in population sizes. The new research also indicates that horseshoe crabs numbers may continue to decline in the future because of predi […]
- An island's rebirth: Life emerges after a catastrophic volcanic eruptionAnchorage, Alaska — A secluded island in the Aleutian chain is revealing secrets of how land and marine ecosystems react to and recover from a catastrophic volcanic eruption that appeared at first glance to destroy all life on the island. Yet little by little – a wingless beetle here, a tuft of grass there, Kasatochi, an island in the Alaska Maritime Nat […]
- Glaciers Retreating in AsiaMany of Asia’s glaciers are retreating as a result of climate change. This retreat impacts water supplies to millions of people, increases the likelihood of outburst floods that threaten life and property in nearby areas, and contributes to sea-level rise. The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with 39 international scientists, published a report on […]