On Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 4:06 PM, Scott’s Contracting <scottscontracting> wrote:
Knoxville, Tenn., October 7, 2010 — EnerNex Corp., selected by the Illinois Commerce Commission as the facilitator for the Illinois statewide Smart Grid Collaborative, has finalized a two-year effort that culminated with the submission of the collaborative report to the ICC.
The report is a summation of the collaborative’s findings and recommendations regarding smart grid investments that could be considered by the electric utilities in Illinois and provides an informational resource for the ICC and a framework for consideration of future smart grid investments.
Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison were the contracting parties to EnerNex for a multi-year effort to conduct workshops and facilitate the work of stakeholder workgroups to accomplish the effort.
In addition to the utilities, the stakeholder community consisted of numerous and diverse groups including ICC Staff, electric utility companies, consumer advocates, government agencies, alternate retail electric suppliers, trade unions, environmental organizations, business associations, local government bodies, academics, vendor firms, regional transmission organizations and individual consumers with an interest in smart grid issues.
Core elements of the report include a catalog of smart grid applications, the documentation of potential sources of smart grid costs and benefits, a mapping of potential benefits to beneficiaries, a discussion of and recommendations for key customer policy issues, a proposed methodology for cost-benefit analysis of smart grid investments, and the identification of key technical requirements for a smart grid.
David Kolata, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board commented, "By bringing stakeholders together at the outset, the ISSGC has put Illinois on the right path as we begin to address a wide range of key smart grid issues. This process has provided an important step toward making sure that grid modernization in our state is designed to provide real customer benefits."
One of the major accomplishments of the collaborative was to increase understanding among the utilities and other stakeholders of the differing perspectives on the many issues regarding a smart grid.
Scott Wiseman, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Ameren Illinois, stated, "Ameren Illinois has been pleased with the progress of the ISSGC, and appreciated the varying points of view expressed by all the represented stakeholders during the collaborative process. We believe the ISSGC Final Report submitted by EnerNex will provide a framework for continued smart grid discussion and progress in Illinois."
The collaborative was also able to achieve substantial consensus on recommendations for a smart grid cost-benefit framework and smart grid technical requirements. In addition, the report articulates differing viewpoints in areas of non-consensus, including cost recovery for smart grid investments and remote connection/disconnection.
EnerNex Corp. provides engineering and consulting services, along with software solutions and customization, for the electric power industry. EnerNex focuses on providing services around the development and application of new and emerging electric power technologies to engineer a cleaner, smarter energy system of the future.
Scotts Contracting 
The smart grid and alternate energy sources like solar and wind, is what should be driving us in the US. The US already has the highest per capita consumption of energy in the world and much of it is being wasted before it even reaches the consumer. Some companies like Pacific Crest Transformers are engaged in manufacturing energy efficient transformers, hope other companies are there too. Go to http://www.pacificcresttrans.com/home.html for more.
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