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Reciprocal Efficiency
UTILITIES ARE USING DISTRIBUTED GENERATION RESOURCES AS MORE THAN SIMPLY sources of supplemental power during peak demand or as an alternative when base-load generators cannot deliver reliable electricity. Judging by the global warming debate and a desire for draconian cutbacks in carbon emissions, the drive toward greater efficiency and environmentally friendly sources of generation is...
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The Grid Prepares for an EV Wave
ALL VEHICLES RUN BETTER WHEN TUNED FOR MAXIMUM performance. While auto and battery makers scurry for a competitive edge to make electric vehicles (EVs) practical for everyday driving, the ultimate success in the future marketplace will largely be dependent on a well-tuned electric system: one that offers convenient, widely available, fast-charging, cheap off-peak rates and ultimately facile...
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Pepco Builds the Architecture for Smart Appliances
ALTHOUGH IT HAS A BLUEPRINT IN PLACE, FOR PEPCO Holdings, Inc. (PHI), coordinating smart appliances with a more advanced electrical grid is for the future.''We know smart appliances will have a place and customers will take advantage of them - we just aren't sure when,'' said Rob Stewart, manager of technology evaluation and implementation for Pepco Holdings. Pepco, Delmarva Power and Atlantic...
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Energizing Defense Contractors
DEFENSE CONTRACTORS AREN'T EXACTLY SHOOTING for the stars. But they are aiming for a greater share of the ever-changing energy business. Their scientific and technical expertise, coupled with their well-capitalized businesses, give them an inside track into the world of intelligent utilities, green energy and emissions reductions.READY TO EXPANDMost of those spacecraft and weapons makers have...
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We Hit the Road with Oncor to Discuss Its Smart Initiatives
LAST ISSUE, WE TALKED WITH ONCOR ABOUT ITS CYBER SECURITY WORK in order to prepare for a smarter grid. This issue, I wanted to take some time to discuss Oncor's broader smart grid efforts. Late last fall, I had the incredible opportunity to take a smart grid road trip with Oncor. The road trip not only cut across the wide open Texas landscape, but also across the many groups who play critical...
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OG+E Gets Stimulus to Move On
SUBSTANTIVE PROGRESS IN ESTABLISHING SMART GRID INFRASTRUCTURE isn't always easy to see or measure.But that progress may soon become much more noticeable-in the wake of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) fall 2009 announcement of utility recipients in its economic stimulus grant program.One of the awardees on the DOE's lengthy list is Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E), which has...
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Utility Execs Launch Own Ventures
THE RESHAPING OF THE UTILITY INDUSTRY HAS created unexpected opportunities for utility executives. The emergence of the smart grid has created transformations both within utility companies and within companies that serve them. One key insight discovered by the latter companies is that utilities are reluctant to buy products or services from anyone who does not understand their business. That...
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Regional Energy Initiatives Emerge
THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT (ARRA) has placed an unprecedented focus on state and local energy issues. With half of the approximately $580 billion in ARRA funding having been pegged for states and localities, those efforts that, over time, best pool and manage regional resources will charge ahead of the pack to fruition. That all-important word - collaboration - sets the stage for...
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NC Greenpower Model Translates to Smart Initiatives
WHEN YOU THINK OF THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES, you don't usually think of renewables. NC GreenPower is working to change that, specifically in North Carolina.NC GreenPower focuses on engaging the consumer and even supporting economic development in the renewables arena. Despite its renewables focus, NC GreenPower's approach could serve as a model for organizations tasked with engaging consumers...
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Northeastern states face homegrown issues
''PUBLIC AWARENESS IS ALWAYS THE FIRST STEP IN winning a political battle in the United States,'' said Theodore Roosevelt in his gubernatorial efforts to promote conservation to the largely indifferent citizenry of New York state.To move smart grid initiatives forward in the Northeast United States, keeping the public aware of what a more intelligent utility can mean to their lives is critical....
