Federal Smart Grid Framework Released

September 25, 2009

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More companies should be able to devise a plan for adopting Smart Grid technologies now that a new federal framework for the Smart Grid has been published by the Department of Commerce.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke recently unveiled a draft of the report (PDF), entitled “NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards.”

About $4.5 billion in federal stimulus funds are earmarked for Smart Grid development.

The plan should accelerate the development of standards that promote energy efficiency and interoperability between systems, according to a press release.

“To use an analogy from the construction world, this report is like a designer’s first detailed drawing of a complex structure,” Locke said.

“It presents a high-level conceptual model to ensure that everyone is on the same page before moving forward to develop more detailed, formal Smart Grid architectures. This high-level model is critical to help plan where to go next,” he added.

The draft identifies about 80 specific standards and specifications related to the Smart Grid, and outlines 14 priority action plans to help fill in gaps in development.

The draft also discusses how to protect the Smart Grid from cyber attack.

The draft is subject to a 30-day public comment period.

After approval, Phase I of implementation calls for public stakeholders to be identified and engaged. Phase II will establish a private-public partnership and forum, dubbed the “Smart Grid Interoperability Panel.”

If all goes as planned, the framework may be implemented in 2010.

Following are some benefits from the Smart Grid, as identified in the draft.

click to enlarge

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Reader Comments

Smart grid sounds like a great idea! The better our infrastructure is, the easier it is to switch to renewable energies like solar and wind that are better for the environment. I hope it comes to fruition.

Kristen | September 28th, 2009

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