March 23, 2009 -- Electric grids are getting smarter in an IBM lab in Texas as the promise of billions of U.S. economic stimulus dollars fuels a drive to make power delivery more efficient and greener. A chunk of stimulus cash aimed at promoting a "smart grid" designed to foster renewable energy generation and let people and utilities better manage electricity use has IBM in alliances with a growing host of startups. "Smart grid was starting to get hotter, but post-stimulus it is dead center at IBM and in the venture community we deal with," said Drew Clark, director of strategy at IBM's venture capital group. "What really got the juices flowing is that we see what is in the bill." Related Content:
President Barack Obama's stimulus package devotes 10 billion dollars to smart energy technology, with nearly half of the money designated for power grid innovations, according to Clark. A "proof-of-concept" lab at IBM's campus in Austin could almost double for a television studio set. A mannequin lies in a bed in a mock hospital room equipped with sensors capable of detecting the presence of doctors, providing them details about patients, and even knowing whether medical personnel wash their hands. Nearby are re-creations of a living room, kitchen, cafe, and utility control center, each featuring sensors that enable devices to anticipate the desires of those that enter. Solutions Experience Lab IT architect Jeff Mausolf plays a utility control center worker reacting to a surge in demand due to a heat wave. Mausolf taps a few computer keys, commanding a thermostat setting in a stage home to rise a few degrees, turning off power-gobbling air conditioning. As the pseudo-emergency escalates, Mausolf turns off lights and appliances in houses by sending orders through "e-meters" to "smart outlets." The technology is already being used in Austin. |
advertisement
Put Discovery News on Your Site!
|
