By Brian E. Clark
WisBusiness.com

The nation's utilities and their customers could save more than $70 billion over the next two decades if they took advantage of so-called "smart grid" technologies to reduce and control power use, according to an expert from the Department of Energy's Northwest Labs in Washington State.

Speaking at a Wisconsin Public Utility Institute Conference on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus Tuesday, Don Hammerstrom said the key to saving power, reducing the threat of blackouts and the need to build more power plants is to apply computer and information technology to the grid.

The event was attended by more than 100 utility executives, telecommunications officials and a few consumer and environmental advocates.

Hammerstrom said California and the Canadian province of Ontario are already adapting advanced technology to control their power systems. He predicted the widespread use of smart meters, thermostats and even appliances that can shut themselves high power surges.

A self-described "widget" geek, Hammerstrom said his agency set up successful energy use reduction programs in Washington State that used some relatively simple technology on household driers to save power and money for consumers.

He said not all smart grid advances need to use sophisticated two-way communication between homes, businesses and utilities.

Michael Lamb, an executive with Xcel Energy, said his utility is embarking on a "Smart City" project in Boulder, Colo., this summer.

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