The Smart-Grid Development and Demonstration Assessment paints an evolving picture of progress in smart-grid technologies, helping us measure the benefits and fill in the gaps in our national drive for innovation.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and other federal programs have flowed funding to smart-grid research and deployment of new technologies. Dynamic research programs have blossomed, in California and across the country, but what are their impacts, synergies, common obstacles? Are there research areas that need greater focus, best practices and successes to be shared across the research community?
This project characterized and compared current ARRA smart-grid projects, including specific technologies deployed, intended impact, and tested performance parameters. It focused on California projects, seeking to pinpoint the best ways to measure and continually track the progress, success, and impact of each project. A database makes those metrics accessible to researchers regulators, legislators, and the public.
The i4Energy team has also developed methods to estimate the benefits of research and technologies, and has recommended ways to strengthen and accelerate California’s smart-grid research program.
