California State Buildings to be Tied Into Smart Grid

With $127.5 million in funding from the federal stimulus package, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the State of California will partner with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to connect state buildings in the capital city to a district heating and cooling system equipped with “smart grid” technology.

The program is designed to explore the possibilities of smart grid technology and serve as a model for other municipalities interested in implementing a smart-grid utility system on an urban scale. The state will contribute matching funds for building automation systems, “smart meters,” and software for monitoring and managing building energy use. The centerpiece of the program is Sacramento’s Central Plant, a new, LEED Gold facility that provides heating and cooling to 23 state buildings, including the Capitol. Scheduled to be completed in 2012, the smart grid will include more than 600,000 smart meters, 100 electric vehicle charging stations, and 50,000 residential energy control systems.

With $127.5 million in funding from the federal stimulus package, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the State of California will partner with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to connect state buildings in the capital city to a district heating and cooling system equipped with “smart grid” technology.

The program is designed to explore the possibilities of smart grid technology and serve as a model for other municipalities interested in implementing a smart-grid utility system on an urban scale. The state will contribute matching funds for building automation systems, “smart meters,” and software for monitoring and managing building energy use. The centerpiece of the program is Sacramento’s Central Plant, a new, LEED Gold facility that provides heating and cooling to 23 state buildings, including the Capitol.

Scheduled to be completed in 2012, the smart grid will include more than 600,000 smart meters, 100 electric vehicle charging stations, and 50,000 residential energy control systems.