The Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting applications for $3.9 billion in grants to support efforts to modernize the electric grid, allowing for greater integration of renewable energy sources while increasing the reliability, efficiency and security of the nation's transmission and distribution system as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
‘These investments will be used to develop a smart, strong and secure electrical grid that will help integrate renewable resources onto the grid, deliver power more reliably and effectively with less environmental impact, and create new jobs across the country,’ says DOE Secretary Steven Chu.
Chu announced the release of the final Funding Opportunity Announcements for $3.9 billion in ARRA funds. Approximately $3.3 billion for the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program and $615 million for smart-grid demonstration projects will help develop and implement smart-grid technologies across the country.
As part of the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program, DOE will provide cost-shared grants to support manufacturing, purchasing and installation of existing smart-grid technologies that can be deployed on a commercial scale.
Funding under the Smart Grid Demonstration Program will be used to demonstrate how emerging technologies can be applied in innovative ways within the electric delivery system to provide integrated and economically feasible solutions.
The investment grant program is intended to enable smart-grid functions on the electric system as soon as possible, while the demonstration program is aimed at identifying and developing new and more cost-effective smart-grid equipment, tools, techniques and system configurations that can significantly improve upon today's technologies.
For more information, visit fedconnect.net.
SOURCE: Department of Energy
