Editorial: Smart grid projects good for economy, efficiency
Last week the federal government showed its faith in the nation’s largest “smart grid” demonstration project by releasing $45 million to move it off the drawing board and into the implementation phase. Overall, the $178 million Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project, operated by Battelle in the Tri-Cities area, has put the Northwest on the leading edge of energy conservation efforts.
The project will create 1,500 jobs in five states, including 500 in Washington. It was spotlighted in a recent Council of Economic Advisers’ report to the president as an example of successfully leveraging stimulus dollars to capture private investment. The U.S. Department of Energy has been given $23 billion for clean energy projects, which has been matched with $21 billion in private funding.
The hope is that these jobs will turn into permanent careers as technology researchers devise increasingly better ways for consumers and power suppliers to talk to each other.
Efficiency gains made on the smart grid front can head off the construction of expensive power plants that exacerbate greenhouse gas emissions. It can also cut into the nation’s dependence on foreign sources of oil. Power demands are expected to grow by 40 percent in the next 20 years, but smart grid demonstration projects indicate that with widespread use about one-third of that demand can be absorbed through greater efficiency.
When 112 homeowners on the Olympic Peninsula were outfitted with communication software and equipment that delivered real-time energy price updates, they were able to adjust usage accordingly and save 10 percent to 15 percent on their bills. A mere 5 percent increase in grid efficiency is equivalent to removing 54 million vehicles from the road. The problem now is that most homes have dated meters that can only tell customers about usage one month after the fact.
Another benefit of a smart grid is the speed with which outages can be identified and power restored. Avista Utilities won a federal grant of $20 million and is matching it with $22 million to install high-tech sensors to quickly alleviate outages and Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Schweitzer Laboratories in Pullman and Itron in Spokane Valley will benefit from the spread of clean technology because they make smart-grid components.
As the nation presses forward with the task of developing alternative energy sources, conservation will be the key to meeting near-term future demand. These Northwest projects hold much promise for the region and ultimately the entire nation.