Domicile of Major Industrial Smart Grid Players
New York is the domicile of major industrial companies committed to developing the smart grid. GE is a primary manufacturer of generators (including wind turbines), transformers and smart appliances. IBM is a major provider of systems hardware and software for the energy sector. As such, it is well positioned for the massive systems integration required to make the smart grid operational. The combined resources and expertise of these two companies are significant assets for New York. Combined with other major New York companies such as Verizon, these companies provide a skilled smart grid workforce that is unmatched by any other state.
Nexus of Electric Energy Research
A nexus of major electric energy research facilities (academic, industrial and government) in New York provides the intellectual capital to lead the national development of the smart grid. New York is the home of five DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia, Cornell, GE Global Research and SUNY Stony Brook. Both GE and IBM have R&D facilities headquartered in the state. Over a half billion dollars of projects and programs have been funded by NYSTAR and NYSERDA over the past decade. Long Island is home to the Brookhaven National Laboratory, which is a leading center of electric power research. A host of prestigious academic institutions (Cornell, Columbia, Syracuse, AERTC at Stony Brook) has pioneered over 90 recent or current energy research projects. RGGI funding identified for targeted R&D technology centers will provide the magnet to significantly advance the prominence of New York’s technology nexus. The nexus will focus on four areas, power electronics, advanced materials, energy storage and systems integration, where New York is positioned to be a national R&D leader.
Clean Energy Leader
The state is a clean energy leader in the nation. As the originator and a leader
of the RGGI, it has recently added over 1300 MW of wind, hydro and biomass generation and already provides 20 percent of its electricity from renewables. It is also a leader in providing energy efficiency and demand response programs for end-use consumers. NYSERDA is a recognized national leader in administering these programs and charting a sustainable energy future. A recent report, prepared by the New York Academy of Sciences entitled “Innovation and Clean Technology in NYS” (May 2009) identified NY technical expertise in five key areas representing a broad range of “clean tech” capability — buildings, biomass, storage, PV, and smart grid.
Financial and Media Capital
New York City is the financial and media capital of the nation. The combined resources and expertise of commercial and investment banks plus insurance companies domiciled in New York will play a vital role in financing and insuring the billions of dollars of infrastructure investment needed for a 21st-century smart grid. One of the major challenges for the smart grid is customer education and adoption rates. New York City is the broadcast media capital of the nation. It is in the ideal position to assess and communicate the opportunities embodied in the smart grid that should promote understanding and acceptance adoption by customers throughout the nation.
