Campaign Promises

Departments -> Energy -> Electrical Grid

ItemEnergy
Electrical GridGrade
EN-3 The Promise: "Will establish a Grid Modernization Commission to facilitate adoption of Smart Grid practices across the nation's electricity grid to the point of general adoption and ongoing market support in the U.S. electric sector."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, signed into law by President Bush on 12/19/07, created a Smart Grid Advisory Committee and a Smart Grid Task Force. The need for another organization, this one called the "Grid Modernization Commission," based on a promise made by then-Candidate Obama nine months after the above act was signed into law, was questionable.

Nonetheless, in late-CY2014 the Department of Energy (DOE) created a "Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium," a partnership between DOE headquarters and national laboratories to bring together leading experts and resources to collaborate on the goal of modernizing the USA's electricity grid. Not exactly a "commission," but close enough to satisfy promise fulfillment.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-4 The Promise: "...will pursue a major investment in our national utility grid using smart metering, distributed storage and other advanced technologies to accommodate 21st century energy requirements..."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 included $11B for smart grid technologies, transmission system expansion and upgrades, and other investments to modernize and enhance the electric transmission infrastructure to improve energy efficiency and reliability. Of that amount, $4.5B was for grid modernization.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00
EN-5 The Promise: "...will instruct the Secretary of Energy to: (1) establish a Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program to provide reimbursement of one-fourth of qualifying Smart Grid investments..."
When/Where: Obama-Biden Plan: "New Energy for America" dated 09/06/08.
Source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/edg/media/Obama_New_Energy_0804.pdf
Status:On 04/16/09, Vice President Biden announced that nearly $4B under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 would be distributed in the form of Department of Energy's (DOE's) Smart Grid Investment Grant Program ($3.375B) and $615M for smart grid storage, monitoring and technology initiative demonstration projects.

Also on 04/16/09, the DOE released a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program and a Funding Opportunity Announcement for a smart grid regional demonstration initiative.

The program for federal matching funds for smart grid investment costs was codified in 42 USC, Chapter 152, Section 17386 which became law on 01/03/12. This law states "The Secretary shall establish a Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program to provide grants of up to one-half (50 percent) of qualifying Smart Grid investments." This went beyond Candidate Obama's 25% promise.

This promise was fulfilled.		1.00