NM

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The stimulus package includes $4.4 billion to implementg local smart grids, which rely on automates monitoring of electricity use andcomputerized supply-and-demansd controls to reduce energy consumption in residences and Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration has been working for nearly two years on blueprints fora comprehensive, statewidwe strategy to roll out the nation’s firsy fully modernized local grid.
The plan calls for development of a lot morerenewable energy, a massive transmissiobn upgrade to distribute cleajn power, and an automated network backed by the state’sx supercomputer to effectively balance supply and Nevertheless, the ’s initial guidelines for biddinb on grants outline a piecemeal approach to building smarft grids, said Tom Bowles, Richardson’ws science advisor on loan from and a key architect of the state’ss smart-grid initiative. The DOE essentially wanta states to concentrate on individual components of grid such as installing smart meters in homese and buildings to monitorenerghy use.
“The initial guidelines limit the technologies and scopeof grant-fundesd projects,” Bowles said. “You can’yt get funding for multiple technologies that cross over andmergs together, but that’s exactly what’se needed to manage all the differences in energy generatio and consumption that exist between urbab and rural areas or among residential, commercial and institutionak consumers.” In fact, the guidelines originally set a $20 million cap on individual smart-gridx investment grants and $40 million for regional demonstration projects, reflecting the scaled-down scopde of the DOE approach.
Concertedc lobbying by New Mexico officials and others contributed to a DOE decisionin mid-May to increase the caps to $200 million and $100 million, However, the DOE won’t release final grant guidelines until and unless there are more changes, New Mexico’s integrated, multiple-project approach might not be fundable. “The scope of New Mexico’s smarrt green grid will require hundreds of millionaof dollars, not tens of so the increase in grantf caps was welcome,” Bowles said. “But we stillk need to see how much flexibility the DOE will permit forintegratesd smart-grid projects.
” The initial guidelines also include a mandatw for 50 percent matching funds from grant That could be even more limiting than the DOE’ws scaled-down approach to smart-grid construction, said Stephan who heads the Economic Development Department’s Office of Sciencw and Technology. Helgesen has visited communitie statewide todiscuss smart-grid projectas and coordinate grant proposals. “Everybodyu is enthusiastic about smart-grid stimuluss funding, but the municipalitiesx say they don’t have matching Helgesen said.
“That could be a real deal breakerfor Still, state officials are encouraging utilities and municipalities to send granty proposals anyway so that, whatevert the final DOE New Mexico will be ready to compete for “If the DOE’s limited scope is unchanged, we’ll have to segmenr our efforts into smaller parts,” Bowles said. “Some things will get fundecd andsome won’t.” In response, utilities and municipalitiea are scrambling to turn in Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in for example, wants funding to install more distributes solar energy, and to extend broadband accessw to all of its 30,000 customers.
The broadband woulc enable needed energy monitoring and automation systems whilde connecting more peopleto high-speed Internet services, said CEO Luis “The stimulus could be a shot in the arm to help builxd an integrated smart grid, and to lay the foundation for more economic development,” Reyes