A policy framework for the 21st century grid: enabling our secure energy future.

• Executive Office of the President of the United States

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15 June 2011The National Academy of Engineering named electrification the greatest engineering achievement of the 20th century (NAE 2003). To meet America’s energy, environmental, and security needs for the 21st century, the United States should continue efforts to upgrade the electric grid. To seize the leadership position in a clean energy revolution, President Obama has set a national goal of generating 80% of our electricity from clean energy sources by 2035 and has reiterated his goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. These goals are part of a strategy to develop and deploy innovative energy technologies and create the energy jobs of tomorrow here in the United States (Office of Press Secretary 2011b). As President Obama has outlined, part of a secure energy future is providing “consumers with choices to reduce costs and save energy” (White House 2011b, pp. 4).

In the face of an aging grid (Chu 2010, p. 13), investing in the grid’s infrastructure is crucial. Given this imperative, there is an opportunity to upgrade the grid’s efficiency and effectiveness through investments in smart grid technology. Smart grid technologies and applications encompass a diverse array of modern communications, sensing, control, information, and energy technologies that are already being developed, tested, and deployed throughout the grid. In particular, these technologies can be divided into three basic categories: (1) advanced information and communications technologies (including sensors and automation capabilities) that improve the operation of transmission and distribution systems; (2) advanced metering solutions, which improve on or replace legacy metering infrastructure; and (3) technologies, devices, and services that access and leverage energy usage information, such as smart appliances that can use energy data to turn on when energy is cheaper or renewable energy is available.