The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday unveiled a new multi-year plan to modernize the nation’s grid.
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz announced the plan during a vist to a
utility control center in Miami, Florida. Moniz also announced the award
of up to $220 million over three years the DOE’s National Labs and
partners to support critical research and development in advanced
storage systems, clean energy integration, standards and test
procedures, and a number of other key grid modernization areas. The
award amount remains subject to congressional appropriations.
"Modernizing the U.S. electrical grid is essential to reducing carbon
emissions, creating safeguards against attacks on our infrastructure,
and keeping the lights on,” said Moniz, adding that the department’s
Quadrennial Energy Review and Quadrennial Technology Review identified
needs and opportunities to invest in the grid. "This public-private
partnership between our National Laboratories, industry, academia, and
state and local government agencies will help us further strengthen our
ongoing efforts to improve our electrical infrastructure so that it is
prepared to respond to the nation’s energy needs for decades to come.”
The DOE said the Grid Modernization Initiative represented a
comprehensive effort to help shape the future of the nation’s grid and
solve the challenges of integrating conventional and renewable sources
with energy storage and smart buildings. It also seeks to ensure that
the grid is resilient and secure to withstand growing cyber security and
climate challenges.
The up to $220 million in research and development funding falls
under the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium. The consortium
involves 14 DOE National Laboratories and dozens of industry, academia,
and state and local government agency partners across the country. The
funds are being awarded in response to a challenge to the National
Laboratories to establish a comprehensive grid-related research and
development effort to address a range of emerging challenges and
opportunities in the nation’s power grid.
The Energy Department will announce additional programs, initiatives
and funding opportunities related to the grid modernization initiative
in the coming days.
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