Galvin Electricity Initiative Advocates for Smart Microgrids as Critical to U.S. Energy Policy Reform

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- At a Capitol Hill briefing today hosted by the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, the smart microgrid design emerged as the vision for transforming the electricity system and improving the value proposition for customers. Presenters from the Galvin Electricity Initiative, Pareto Energy and the Intel Open Energy Initiative outlined plans for wide-scale implementation of microgrid development and the policy changes needed to make this vision a reality.

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"Over the past 50 years, our nation's electric power system has been starved of innovation and technical updates, despite significant increases in consumer demand for choice and reliability," said Galvin Electricity Initiative Deputy Director John Kelly. "Our version of the smart microgrid -- the Perfect Power System -- empowers local governments and consumers, making them active participants in the electricity system."

Microgrids are modern, small-scale versions of the centralized electricity system. The smart grid transformation is in progress, and microgrids represent the most consumer-friendly and efficient bail-out plan for America's aging electricity infrastructure. They have the potential to dramatically reduce carbon emissions and speed the inclusion of renewables into the U.S. power grid while providing reliable, secure and lower cost energy options to federal agencies, companies, communities and consumers.

As the senate debate around the Kerry-Lieberman climate bill gets under way, it is of critical importance that language supporting microgrid development be included. American citizens have much to gain through smart microgrid adoption, as was discussed earlier in the week at a U.S. Energy Association (USEA) workshop to address how consumers will engage and benefit from the smart grid transformation.

"With smart microgrids, communities and businesses get reliable, high-quality, green power and maximum job creation," Galvin Electricity Initiative Executive Director Kurt Yeager said at the USEA workshop. "Consumers get control over their energy use and spending and the ability to make money by selling power and services back to the grid."

At the briefing today, Guy Warner, founder and CEO of Pareto Energy, showcased the organization’s project at Howard University as a demonstration of how microgrids can improve reliability and energy efficiency.

To help educate stakeholders about this approach, the Galvin Electricity Initiative today launched its Microgrid Hub (www.galvinpower.org/microgrids), a comprehensive web resource amassing information about the companies and organizations, experts, projects and resources that are contributing to the microgrid revolution. Visit www.galvinpower.org/microgrids to.hear Galvin Electricity Initiative founder and retired CEO and Chairman of Motorola, Inc. Bob Galvin describe his vision for the future of America’s electricity system in a video released today, “Bob Galvin on Building the Perfect Power System.” Take action at www.galvinpower.org by sending a letter to the U.S. Senate requesting that language supporting microgrid development be included in climate legislation.

Galvin Electricity Initiative (www.galvinpower.org)

The Galvin Electricity Initiative was launched by former Motorola CEO Robert W. Galvin to transform our electric power system into one that is reliable, efficient, secure and clean, and meets the needs of 21st century consumers. In 2010, the Initiative is accelerating its campaign to spark a migration toward a consumer-driven electric power system in select states. The campaign goal is to promote grid modernization through policy reform to pave the way for Perfect Power smart microgrids that place top priority on serving consumers and businesses with reliable, high-quality, clean power. For more information about smart microgrids and the Galvin Electricity Initiative, visit www.galvinpower.org/microgrids and follow http://twitter.com/perfectpower.

SOURCE Galvin Electricity Initiative