It’s summertime already? It seems as though just yesterday children were playing in the winter-white snow. While the snow was picturesque, the warm rays of summer are a welcomed change from the cold weather. As event planners gear up for their annual beginning of summer barbeques, the thought of a smarter grid is more relevant to the impending summer feasts.

Light up the grill

In 400BC, nomadic tribes used fire to bring comfort and protection to themselves at night while also using it as a means to cook and stay warm throughout the day. Today, that same innovation has translated from roasted meat over fires, to large electric grills used to entertain crowds of people with delicious foods.

Currently, our 100-year-old electrical grid has streamlined energy use. While the outdated grid was an innovative change in 1890, in 2016 it could still use some improvements. With blackouts becoming commonplace in homes across the nation, it’s time to look forward to the next era of energy innovations; a smarter grid. A modernized grid will equip the nation to handle large amounts of electricity used daily more efficiently. A smarter grid will help to ensure our annual barbeques doesn’t get cancelled because of a blackout.

While millions go without power for hours at a time throughout the year due to blackouts, many electricity consumers are likely paying for electricity they never use. With the price of grilling out skyrocketing, the money consumers are spending on outdated electricity practices could be saved with smart grid technology. In fact, with the nine percent efficiency a smarter grid offers, electric bill payers could see close to $600 in direct-bill savings annually by enlisting in smart bill programs offered by utilities. While everyone on the neighborhood street is excited about the grilling festivities, think of how a smarter grid could make your cookout of the month, the savings of a year. 

Think smart grid today.

By Taylor Fraser | Updated May 17, 2016