3 becomes 1: welcome to the US Power grid

Many of you have probably been reading about the benefits of a High-Temperature Superconductor (HTS) in the media recently. Apparently it was announced today by the American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) that they have been chosen for the Tres Amigas Project which will connect all three major electricity grids in the US as well as provide pipe to bring in new non-dispatchable renewables onto the newly formed national grid.

Apparently scheduled for completion in 2014, it sounds like a pretty exciting prospect that should bring greater reliability and competition to the grid as well as provide a more effective environment for renewable sources to sell intermittent power into. Looking at AMSC’s chart, however, it appears this news was not a surprise as there was effectively no movement in the stock price today although maybe we’ll see a jump tomorrow as the announcement was late in the day.

References:

Superconductor Electricity Pipelines to be Adopted for America's First Renewable Energy Market Hub | Yahoo Finance

American Superconductor to Provide Hardware for Tres Amigas Project | Green Energy Reporter

The Tres Amigas Project: America's Renewable Energy Hub? | Fast Company

FERC develops smart grid transmission system

FERC took a step yesterday regarding the development of a smart electric transmission system. The Smart Grid Policy Statement sets priorities for work on development of standards that could help make such a system more reliable.

FERC set out policy for recovery of costs by utilities that act early to adopt smart grid technology. FERC got lots of comments from interested groups (70) that shows broad support for a smart grid policy.

FERC wants these early development standards: (a) ensure the cyber-security of the grid; (b) provide two-way communications among regional market operators, utilities, service providers and consumers; (c) ensure that power system operators have equipment that allows them to operate reliably by monitoring their own systems as well as neighboring systems that affect them; and (d) coordinate the integration into the power system of emerging technologies such as renewable resources, demand response resources, electricity storage facilities and electric transportation systems.

One interesting side note, FERC said that it will not interfere with any state's ability to adopt whatever advanced metering or demand response program it chooses.

This policy will take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. I can send the entire policy if people want to read it just let me know.

So my question is what group emerges as smart grid leaders? Will it be the technology companies or will it be utility/energy companies? Here are some of the smart grid stocks I am currently following: CSCO, IBM, GOOG, COMV, DGII, ELON, ESE, GE, ITRI, TLVT, and RUGGF.