CTC Smart Grid Panel

Last night I attended a Smart Grid panel discussion hosted by the law firm Blank Rome featuring panelists from ConEd, Constellation Energy,  EnerNOC (demand management), and Braemar Energy Ventures (investors in EnerNoc, and several battery plays including A123).  It was organized by the Cleantech Corridor which is a NY-centric group looking to promote cleantech activity in this region.  Pretty good turnout of investors, companies and cleantech organizations, including NYC ACRE, which is the NYSERDA funded incubator partnered with Columbia and NYU among others.  

Thoughts & Analysis:

- Varying definitions about "smart grid" - Constellation described it as enabling renewable generation whereas ConEd's definition was more about implementation than results, defining it in 3 parts: 1.Implement devices/technology; 2. establish communication; 3. analyze data and take action.  I thought both definitions were reflective - Constellation only sees it as needed for the future and ConEd realizes they need it but not sure what its going to accomplish.

- One of the utility's biggest challenges is getting approval from regulators to increase the rate case for smart grid capital expenditures.  Utilities do not want to invest in something without a return, and if the capex does not generate a return their investment will not be covered by regulation.  On the other hand, the regulators are hesitant to approve a capex request from a utility because they do not know which smart grid investments will generate returns.  One group, the Gridwise Alliance out of DC, periodically goes on roadshows

to educate regulators.

- All parties seemed to agree that batteries represent the holy grail of smart grid implementations.  Without batteries, we can only solve so much.  However, there were no indications that any of the battery solutions out there seemed to be leading the pack, and the panel seemed to have no view on what happens once we have wide-spread adoption of plug-in vehicles, which can either act as a huge draw on the grid or can act as a networked battery.