Dec 1, 2008

Outstripping the Grid?

In the push for plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars, a new question has arisen: Are we outstripping our ability to provide power? That is one of the unanswered and largely unasked questions looming before us as some of our politicians contemplate an era in which electric vehicles will gain prominence.

America is investing heavily in generating electricity, and that’s good news for the electric cars that many predict are on the way. Wind farms are springing up, solar power has never been more popular and even nuclear generators are being touted as the future of electricity. But there's a growing problem: Getting the power from generators to consumers is becoming increasingly difficult because America's grid is out of date and falling behind.

America's energy grid is about 100 years old. One government study estimates investment in power generation is growing four times faster than transmission capacity. Now Randy Zwirn, president and CEO of Siemens Energy, warns that another blackout like the one the Northeast experienced in 2003 could happen again unless we increase our commitment to update the power grid in the U.S. He says the “smart” technology to do this already exists. But we need a greater sense of urgency from the next president and Congress to put it in place. In his opinion, what is needed is a clear signal from Washington, D.C., that will encourage the long-term investment necessary to make this happen. If not, those electric cars some seek might be lights out.