Nov. 8-9 Texas A&M Conference to
examine Smart Grid Survey Results

A nationwide survey of electric cooperatives and municipal utilities, conducted by Texas A&M University researchers, shows a great deal of enthusiasm for smart grid technology, tempered with misconceptions that could limit the benefits of smart grid investments.

Details from this survey will be shared at the Nov. 8-9 Texas A&M Smart Grid Conference, “Evaluating the Business Case for Smart Grid Investments” set for Nov. 8-9 at the Omni Southpark Hotel in Austin.

The conference, open to all interested parties, is especially tailored for utilities, government agencies, regulators, equipment manufacturers, software developers, vendors, consulting firms and related energy industry concerns.

Electric smart grid technology provides integrated communication, automation and control of entire electric systems, from generating plants to the operation of electric equipment inside homes, commercial buildings and industrial plants.

“The smart grid survey reveals an enthusiasm for smart grid innovations at the same time that it finds a variety of hurdles likely to limit some of the most valuable benefits of the smart grid vision,” said Jerry Jackson, leader of the Texas A&M Smart Grid Research Consortium project that conducted the survey.  

The survey showed:

• fewer than 10 % of utilities have imitated smart grid initiatives that reach beyond remote meter reading and service switches;
• 90 % of utilities have no business models for assessing smart grid investments;
• few utilities have customer load information required to evaluate demand response potentials;
• coop and municipal utilities expect to achieve smart grid paybacks of six years on average; and
• fully functioning smart grid systems with two-way communication, in-premise devises, and pricing programs are expected in six to seven years.

“The survey confirms a need for “on the ground” applications to help electric cooperatives and municipal utilities evaluate the business case for smart grid investments, which is also the focus of the upcoming conference,” said Jackson.

Electric coops, municipal and other public utilities provide electricity to more than 25 percent of all U.S. electric customers and reflect an essential part of the country’s transformation of its electric infrastructure.

Additional information and registration details on the Nov. 8-9 Texas A&M Smart Grid Conference are available online at:
www.smartgridresearchconsortium.org/smartgridconference.htm

For information on sponsorship opportunities, available for equipment manufacturers, software, communications and other vendors, visit www.smartgridresearchconsortium.org/sponsors.htm

The Texas A&M Smart Grid Research Consortium website can be accessed at www.smartgridresearchconsortium.org

Contact:

• Dr. Jerry Jackson — 979.204.7821 — jerryrjackson@tamu.edu
• Phillip Rollfing — 979.458.0442 — prollfing@arch.tamu.edu

- Posted: Oct. 8, 2010 -

Contact:   Phillip Rollfing, prollfing@archone.tamu.edu or 979.458.0442.