You’ve heard it a million times -- knowledge is power. Knowledge gave us the ability to build massive airplanes, to calculate the speed of light and, after years of reliance on nonrenewable forms of energy, is enabling a transition to a clean energy future, powered by a smarter electric grid.
But there’s been some confusion about what a smart grid really is. More than just advanced meters and programmable appliances, “smart” devices give the grid the flexibility to adapt to future energy needs, and to utilize more energy produced by renewable resources. The same way that computer chips helped our cars get more power and better mileage, smart devices help the grid move electricity faster and more efficiently from the generation source to our homes. They give us information about our usage so that we can choose to change, or not to. They enable the future not just of the grid, but of our entire energy economy.
Watch this video from Con Edison of New York (recipient of two DOE Smart Grid Recovery grants) on the Smart Grid (it’s about 2 minutes). Find out what you don’t know. Build your knowledge.