Obama Putting $3.4B Toward 'Smart' Power Grid

mad1 · October 27th, 2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is giving a jolt to the futuristic "smart" electric grid, hoping to more quickly bring America's power transmission system into the digital age.

President Barack Obama, during a visit to a solar energy facility in Arcadia, Florida, is announcing Tuesday that he is making available $3.4 billion in government support for 100 projects aimed at modernizing the power grid. The projects include installing "smart" electric meters in homes, automating utility substations, and installing thousands of new digital transformers and grid sensors.

White House officials provided details of the initiative prior to the president's scheduled visit to Florida Power & Light Co.'s DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, the largest photovoltaic electricity facility in the country.

Other projects funded under the program will result in the installation of 850 sensors to allow utilities to better monitor the grid; the installation of 200,000 digital transformers to reduce the risk of power outages; and the automation of 700 grid substations.

Obama Putting $3.4B Toward 'Smart' Power Grid - Political News - FOXNews.com

The US power grid has needed updating for a long time.

Chuckiechan · October 27th, 2009, 10:37 AM

Not a bad idea, but he can stop with the "smart meters" at the meter, thank you. I don't want the government having control over my thermostat like what is being proposed here in California.

The Real Bingo · October 27th, 2009, 03:56 PM

Gee, it only took eight months to figure out a beneficial way to spend the stimulus money.

Pexster · October 27th, 2009, 04:06 PM

It was said repeatedly at the time that the stimulus funding would take place over an extended period of time, and that much of it wouldn't be spent until next year. If they tried to just shove money out the door, you and your gods Rush & Glenn would have pounded them for that.

Why don't you pull that ingrown hair out of your ass and at least attempt to be fair?

MTAtech · October 27th, 2009, 04:19 PM

Oh Pex, he's not trying to be fair. His DNA can't say anything nice about Obama, even when it's clearly good. If Obama did "X," why didn't he do"Y?" If Obama did "Y," why didn't he do "X?"

What's important about smart electrical grids is one can have different rates at night, when the amount of power is abundant and higher rates in the day, when it's used the most. Thus, consumers will have an incentive to shift usage -- such as drying clothes to night.

Also, with the plug-in cars coming on-line, there must be changes to accommodate them. Cars charged in at night can act as batteries that can be drawn in the day, when needed.

Pexster · October 27th, 2009, 04:35 PM

Not to mention that innovations in the energy sector are a very promising engine for economic growth. We're currently lagging the Japanese in some modern battery technology for homes because their government is pushing and subsidizing industry. If we didn't have so many friggin' ideological obstructionists, we could be leading the way. But Nooo . . . .

The Real Bingo · October 27th, 2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pexster

It was said repeatedly at the time that the stimulus funding would take place over an extended period of time, and that much of it wouldn't be spent until next year. If they tried to just shove money out the door, you and your gods Rush & Glenn would have pounded them for that.

Why don't you pull that ingrown hair out of your ass and at least attempt to be fair?

Hah. Fairness. An essential element to the 'progressive' philosophy. Be fair.

Buddy, I'm being real. The stimulus was supposed to help get people jobs. Presumably they'd get jobs regardless of the stimulus...so the design was to get people into jobs quicker*. Why is it taking so long to do anything?

All that minutia aside - and putting aside my disdain for 'stimulus packages' (Bush's rebate checks included) - this is what they should be spending our money on.

*anyone with a brain knows that the real objective was to grow government and play winners and losers; but it was advertised as a job preserver/creator

The Real Bingo · October 27th, 2009, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pexster

If we didn't have so many friggin' ideological obstructionists, we could be leading the way. But Nooo . . . .

Leading the way...down? Markets would take care of everything if they'd be left to work on their own. But, again...government is picking winners and losers.

MTAtech · October 27th, 2009, 04:53 PM

The stimulus was supposed to do two things, reverse the economy's free-fall, which exactly what was happening a year ago. Without the stimulus, we were facing Great Depression 2.

The stimulus was also to reduce job loss and it was expected that unemployment would be 8%. That was unsuccessful. However, we must also remember that Republicans reduced the stimulus package in order to give $400B in tax-cuts, which economists conclude is inefficient in terms of stimulus. There were also progressive economists that calculated that the stimulus package was too small. They seem to have been correct.

The fact that it kept us out of a depression should get some praise.

Pexster · October 27th, 2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Real Bingo

Leading the way...down? Markets would take care of everything if they'd be left to work on their own. But, again...government is picking winners and losers.

We are in a global economy. What do you propose as a solution when U.S. industries cannot compete with overseas industries due to the latter receiving government subsidies and incentives? And please don't tell me the WTO trade resolution process, 'cause I doubt you believe in that organization.

Markets do NOT "take care of everything." This is economics, not religion.