SAN DIEGO, CA, Sep. 17, 2009 (Marketwire) --
SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/17/09 -- With smart grid pioneers from around the world convening this week at University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), UC San Diego and CleanTECH San Diego today announced the formation of a coalition of 25 local, national and global organizations to transform the San Diego region's electrical grid into a digital smart grid.
The smart grid is a centerpiece of the new national energy policy, helping consumers save energy, take advantage of more sustainable energy choices and create new jobs in the green economy.
"Realizing the benefits of the smart grid is more than just a high-tech experiment," said Michael R. Niggli, chief operations officer of SDG&E. "SDG&E was the first utility in the continental United States to agree to generate 33 percent of our electricity from renewable resources by 2020, and the smart grid will help pave the way to this goal and develop a more sustainable energy future for all of us."
"Greater interaction among all the stakeholders is essential to the success of the smart grid," said Lisa Bicker, president of CleanTECH San Diego. "By leveraging San Diego's strong history of collaboration we will enable new products, services and markets to fuel an economic engine in San Diego and beyond. In addition, we will bring new clean technology jobs and export opportunities to our region."
"Where many utilities are looking to launch smart grid technology, SDG&E and UC San Diego have been working together for years and are already implementing it," said Byron Washom, director of strategic energy initiatives at UC San Diego. "We have all of the elements staged to make this regional demonstration replicable on a national and international scale."
The smart grid incorporates every aspect of a modern energy system -- renewable energy generation, advanced electric transmission and distribution technologies, smart metering and energy storage. The technology also seeks to help utility customers play a central role in not only the consumption of energy, but the production of it, as well.
"San Diego is an ideal location for smart grid development because the region has one of the greenest universities in the nation and plentiful sources of renewable energy," said Niggli. "We also have civic and industry leaders who are capitalizing on these advantages to attract a critical mass of cutting-edge alternative energy enterprises."
In addition, San Diego is one of the most "wired" cities in the country with more tech-savvy customers than most cities.
