The future electrical grid is touted as "smart," so does that mean the current one is dumb? In a lot ways, yes.
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In the United States, an antiquated and delicate infrastructure is struggling to keep up with increasing demands. That infrastructure is the electric grid. In some regions, the grid remains operational only through the tireless efforts of engineers. If it weren't for these men and women, entire sections of the nation could go dark.
Launch the Slideshow: 10 Dumb Things About the Grid
When you think about all the things Americans use that depend upon a source of electrical energy, it dawns on you that a vulnerable and outdated infrastructure is probably not the best foundation. Ideally, the United States would have a modern, efficient grid that could meet every demand and scale well into the future.
For more than a decade, experts like Dr. Massoud Amin of the University of Minnesota have argued at great length for a massive overhaul of the United States electric grid. Amin coined the phrase "smart, self-healing grid."
But if the future grid is smart, does that mean the current one is dumb? And if so, just what is so dumb about it?
Tags: Electricity, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Production, Renewable Energy,
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