North by Northwest

SmartGridCity technology will allow Boulder residents to go online to see how much power they are using and what it is costing them. They will be able to control their energy usage with the help of “intelligent” appliances communicating with the power grid. Xcel page on the technology.

Project Details:

Phase I: March 2008 – August 2008

* Includes full-system automation, monitoring and smart meters for the first group of SmartGridCity customers. Involves upgrades to two substations, five feeders and nearly 15,000 meters (representing both residential, commercial and light industrial customers) in Boulder.
* A Web portal will provide consumers with insight into their energy use and information for better home energy management.
* A dedicated customer service phone number (1-877-887-3339) and e-mail address (SmartGridCity@xcelenergy.com) for SmartGridCity customers.
* Some customers can choose to have in-home automation tools, allowing increased control over home energy use and costs.
* By mid-August, initial capabilities should be demonstrated.

Phase II: September 2008 – December 2009

* Complete the installation of a distribution and communication network for remaining areas within Boulder (an additional two substations, 20 feeders and smart meters for an additional 35,000 premises).
* Expanded in-home automation installations.
* Enable Web portal access to all SmartGridCity customers.
* Begin initial integration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, solar and wind co-generation sources onto the grid in Boulder.

Previous post on the SmartGridCity.

Read all about it:

DENVER – Xcel Energy announced today it will put in motion its vision to make Boulder, Colo. the nation’s first fully integrated Smart Grid City.

Smart Grid City could feature a number of infrastructure upgrades and customer offerings – for the first time fully integrated through the partnership’s efforts in Boulder – including:

· Transformation of existing metering infrastructure to a robust, dynamic electric system communications network, providing real-time, high-speed, two-way communication throughout the distribution grid;
· Conversion of substations to “smart” substations capable of remote monitoring, near real-time data and optimized performance;
· At the customer’s invitation, installation of programmable in-home control devices and the necessary systems to fully automate home energy use; and
· Integration of infrastructure to support easily dispatched distributed generation technologies (such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with vehicle-to-grid technology; battery systems; wind turbines; and solar panels).

The potential benefits of the Smart Grid City include operational savings, customer-choice energy management, better grid reliability, greater energy efficiency and conservation options, increased use of renewable energy sources, and support for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and intelligent-home appliances.

The first phase of Smart Grid City is expected to be in place by as early as August 2008, with implementation throughout the city continuing through 2009. Beginning in 2009, the consortium also expects to begin an initial assessment of the technologies.

Xcel Energy also unveiled a Smart Grid Consortium web site today, www.xcelenergy.com/smartgrid, which has graphics and educational materials explaining its Smart Grid vision.

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.3 million electricity customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis. More information is available at www.xcelenergy.com.

There’s a 7 minute video on the smartgrid page.

We’ll see how all that works out.