President Barack Obama yesterday committed $3.4 billion in government grants for 100 renewable energy projects, in an effort to modernize the nation’s aging–and at times unreliable–electric power grid, according to EarthTimes.
Among the initiatives discussed were automating utility substations to take advantage of peak and off-peak scheduling, as well as installing smart meters in consumers’ homes, the report said.
The goal of a modern power grid, Obama said, is to give consumers control over energy usage and costs–and drive wind power and solar energy development. The money will come from the $787 billion stimulus measure approved back in February.
