[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 178 (Wednesday, December 9, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            INTRODUCTION OF THE 21ST CENTURY POWER GRID ACT

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                         HON. JOHN P. SARBANES

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 9, 2015

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 21st Century 
Power Grid Act. The bill would finance public-private partnerships to 
carry out innovative projects related to the modernization of the 
electric grid.
  Unfortunately, today the U.S. electric grid is still operating in the 
20th Century. We must act now to improve grid reliability, flexibility, 
efficiency and security. There are literally a limitless number of ways 
in which the federal government can play a part to help modernize the 
electric grid. What we cannot afford is the status quo.
  Whether it's the application of digital technologies, advanced 
communications and control, distributed energy resources, resilience, 
cybersecurity, or providing customers with more choice in energy 
source, usage and rates; it's a completely new world for how we can 
generate, distribute and consume electricity.
  The federal government--in partnership with state and local 
governments, the private sector and ratepayers--must play a role in 
developing a strategy for the modernization of the electric grid and be 
an investor in the research, development and deployment of new advanced 
technologies.
  The 21st Century Power Grid Act would direct the Department of Energy 
to provide assistance, in the form of grants or cooperative agreements, 
to help advance the future grid. In order to be eligible to receive 
this assistance, utilities can partner with entities such as national 
labs, universities, or state and local governments to develop or 
demonstrate new grid technologies or energy management techniques.
  Most have heard the term ``smart grid,'' but I'm not sure many 
appreciate how truly revolutionary it could be if we were to achieve a 
smarter grid. ``Imagine a city in the middle of a deep freeze. The 
local power grid is struggling to keep up with everyone's heaters. What 
if the grid could automatically communicate with buildings in the area 
and negotiate reduced power consumption in exchange for a financial 
incentive? A large hotel that's only half-full due to the weather could 
dial back its thermostats, saving money on their bill and enabling the 
grid to divert that energy to homes and schools.''
  This scenario was taken directly from the website of one of our 
national labs, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. PNNL and 
their partners recently completed a two year project that successfully 
demonstrated that this sort of communication and cooperative energy 
usage is possible.
  In your own home, imagine if you could throw dishes in the dishwasher 
or clothes in the dryer and then set the device to automatically start 
when you can pay the optimal rate for electricity. This is a win, win. 
Consumers pay less, and utilities can more efficiently manage peak 
loads.
  And the scenarios I've described don't even begin to scratch the 
surface of the potential for better integration of distributed energy 
sources like solar, wind and geothermal; energy storage capabilities; 
or other advances that only become conceivable when you do the type of 
basic research this country has always supported and excelled in.
  To not provide the Department of Energy with resources to invest in 
smart grid research and development would be akin to preventing the 
National Institutes of Health from doing medical cures research. The 
electric grid is an indispensable element of modern society and is 
critical to our national security, economy and the general well-being 
of the citizenry.
  I urge my colleagues to support the 21st Century Power Grid Act.

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