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Most grid modernization initiatives have concentrated on advanced digital information and communication technologies, but the physical infrastructure that moves power must also get upgraded.
Fremont, CA: The electric grid in the United States is made up of more than simply power plants. It comprises transmission lines for long-distance energy transfer and distribution networks for delivering power to individual customers. It's a complicated network of asset owners, manufacturers, service providers, and federal, state, and local government authorities all working together to supply safe, dependable, and secure power.
Today's electric grid is old and getting pushed to accomplish more than what it was primarily designed to do. As the energy mix evolves, a 21st-century grid must be more flexible and intelligent, emphasizing transitioning toward sustainable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. While increasing renewable energy capacity, companies must also protect the power grid from hackers, foreign actors, and natural catastrophes, which are growing more often and severe as a result of climate change.
In support of President Biden's climate goals, the Department of Energy aims toward a carbon-free power industry by 2035. Modernizing the grid is one method to do this. That means funding research and development efforts to improve power delivery and resilience, implement new interactive capabilities to help the system respond to change more quickly, and develop new measurements, data analytics, and models that take advantage of the most recent scientific advances in mathematics and computation to improve efficiency and reliability.
Grid hardware is essential for transporting, converting, and regulating electricity. The majority of grid modernization initiatives have concentrated on advanced digital information and communication technologies, but the physical infrastructure that moves power must also get upgraded.
Electric vehicles and charging stations, newly linked neighborhoods, and increasing integration of carbon-free resources like solar and wind must all get supported by the future grid. But, more than just keeping the lights on, a safe and resilient power system is critical to the nation's security, economic success, and the well-being of all Americans. It translates to savings for families with more energy-efficient houses that can weather hotter summers and colder winters. It entails the creation of new companies with good-paying employment by entrepreneurs who can assist every part of the country in meeting its sustainability demands. It also entails preserving the land for future generations.
