As the U.S. moves towards a new type of green economy and renewable energy (slowly and painfully) President Obama has announced an extra $3.4 billion for smart meters and the smart grid.
The funding will be for ‘smart grid’ projects aimed at promoting green power and reducing electricity bills and blackouts. Dan Reicher, Director of Climate and Energy Initiatives for Google testified this week on the smart grid during the second day of the EPW hearings. The hearings are worth listening to, especially Tuesday’s panels (find the hearings here).
Friday, there were some early fireworks as Senator Voinavich, a Republican from Ohio, accused Senator Boxer of not wanting a true bipartisan discussion on energy and climate. The EPW’s Republicans are feeling very frustrated right now because they are feeling pressure from their constituents against any climate legislation but they want the jobs and new energy promises from the Kerry-Boxer bill. The issue of energy and climate change has dissolved into heavy partisanship and fearmongering on the part of the Republican politicians, as they favor business over the liveability of the environment, and they attempt to score political points at the expense of our country and our planet. Meanwhile, President Obama is going ahead with funding the smart grid, and that is good news.
More information on EPA and the recovery act here.
Obama awards $3.4 billion in ’smart grid’ grants
A major proposal of the Obama administration’s national energy makeover has been to build a next-generation “smart” power grid that enables integration of more renewable energy and maximizes efficiency. Most stimulus funding has so far gone to fix roads and other infrastructure, but on Tuesday the smart grid began catching up.. . .
Just 100 utilities of more than 400 applicants won federal grants, which officials say will leverage more than $4.7 billion in matching private sector investment. These grants comprise the lion’s share of the $4.5 billion stimulus money set aside for smart grid development, and is expected to create tens of thousands of new jobs.
Continue Reading → Smart Grid and Smart Meters Get Big Grants
