Get Smart: GE, FPL Announce ‘Biggest’ Smart Grid Deal in Miami

WSJ-Environmental Capital Blog ^ | Apr 20, 2009 | Keith Johnson

[zaphod3000]

As promised, General Electric wants to give the scarecrow some brains by building a smarter electric grid.

The first stop is Miami, where GE, Florida Power & Light, Cisco Systems, and Silver Spring Networks will roll out a $200 million overhaul of the electric grid for 1 million Miami homes and businesses over the next two years.

SNIP

What will Miami’s smart grid do, exactly? The whole power grid, from power plants to wall sockets, will be put on an Internet footing. That will let the power company—FPL—get a better handle on how electricity flows through its system and better manage supply and demand. Consumers will get an idea how much power they really use—and when. And companies like GE, Cisco, and Silver Springs will get a new market to sell their smart meters and wireless networking equipment.

The Miami project is a result of the stimulus package—roughly half the $200 million cost will come from federal smart grid incentives.....Consumers won’t have to pay anything, says Mr. Gilligan, but he expects households to see savings of between 10% and 20% on their power bills. .....

Most of the area will see the basic infrastructure of the next-generation power grid, such as the smart meters that wirelessly transmit information on electricity use back to the power company. The really intelligent part of the smart grid will be limited to about 1,000 households in the Miami demonstration. .....

One key aspect of the Miami demonstration: The grid will use open technology standards, such as the Internet Protocol. While that’s raised plenty of concerns about cybersecurity, it does offer the advantage of being open to a slate of developers who could do for electricity use what they’ve done for iPhone apps in recent years.

[the invisib1e hand]

If it’s a bad idea, the boys in florida will push it.

[DonBeto]

... “smart meters that wirelessly transmit information on electricity use back to the power company. The really intelligent part of the smart grid will be limited to about 1,000 households in the Miami demonstration. Those homes will be outfitted with smart-energy gadgets to use electricity more wisely...”

And the next logical step would be electronic bugging devices in some of your appliances. These could monitor conversations and transmit on a wireless link back to big bro.

[ApplegateRanch]

The Miami project is a result of the stimulus package—roughly half the $200 million cost will come from federal smart grid incentives, while FPL will pick up the rest, figuring the new-and-improved network will soon pay for itself. Consumers won’t have to pay anything, says Mr. Gilligan,

Go back to your island, 34!th3ad!

The $100,000,000 the feds kick in "doesn't cost the consumers"? Just free money, minus the cost of printing?

The $100,000,000 YOU kick in isn't going to be 'paid back' by the consumers? You are just donating it out of the goodness of your little black heart?

IDIOT! If it doesn't come out of the rate payers' pockets, then it comes out of the shareholders' pockets? They're philanthropists?

[wheresmycheckbarry?]

F*** THIS!!!! What the hell is it going to take for America to wake up....my Lord....WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!! Ahh mo-rans....

oh well preaching to the choir as the faithful saying goes...back to the fridge...Sam Adams..patriot and brewer extraordinaire

[BobbyT]

This is my favorite game. By getting federal funding for something, local politicians can magically pretend it’s free.

They do it with a completely straight face. If it comes from DC, it doesn’t cost anything!

[Cheetahcat]

Ahh hate to rain on this Parade but we have hurricanes down here and will this System/Stupidity be robust enough for that yearly event or events?

[kingu]

In California, the highest use occurs during the evening hours, from about five to eight as people come home and turn on appliances, lights come on, and business do their last hours of trade.

I could easily see this being used to sock it to people, charging double or triple rates during ‘prime time’ in an effort to ‘force conservation’ rather than simply build the power plants to keep us a first world power.

Candle light dinners might not be a romantic effort, but perhaps what's left that we can afford to prevent our rates from going through the roof. Of course, businesses who have already cut down their electrical usage to the bone will simply pass those added costs on to the consumer, all in an effort to continue the doom and gloom set, propping up the NIMBYs who like to consume loads of power, just don't want the plant anywhere nearby.

[ApplegateRanch]

Candle light dinners might not be a romantic effort, but perhaps what's left that we can afford to prevent our rates from going through the roof.

"Would you like an inside cut or an outside cut?"