Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that $3.3 million has been awarded to seven research teams to develop technologies that add resiliency and efficiency to New York State's electric grid, by using innovative methods to enhance grid performance and reduce power outages.
"As we continue to witness the impacts of extreme weather, it is more important than ever to invest in making our energy infrastructure stronger and smarter," said Governor Cuomo. "These projects will improve grid resiliency, strengthen utility performance and make the delivery of energy more efficient. By investing in these seven smart grids, we are further readying the State for the new reality of severe weather, and ensuring that the work we do today will mean fewer power outages and more deliberate energy consumption in the future."
The projects were awarded support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's (NYSERDA) Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Smart Grid Program. A smart grid is a modernized electrical grid that uses technology to gather and act on information in an automated fashion to improve the efficiency, reliability, economics and sustainability of the production and distribution of electricity.
In order to qualify for funding, award recipients proposed projects that improve the reliability, efficiency, quality and overall performance of the electric power delivery system in New York State. Proposals were required to demonstrate significant statewide public benefit and quantify all energy, environmental and economic impacts. Developing smart grids is part of the New York State Public Service Commission's Renewable Energy Vision (REV), which calls for identifying smart grid technologies to facilitate increased distributed power generation to promote electricity load management and greater system efficiency.
"These innovative approaches to smart grids are important steps forward in making our electric grid more efficient, reliable, resilient and clean,” said John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA. "They are also powerful examples of New York State's drive under Governor Cuomo’s leadership to transform the way electricity is valued, generated, distributed and consumed in New York State, and a key building block for the State's Reforming Energy Vision for the State's electric system."