Xcel Energy's SmartGrid City Update

Xcel Energy's SmartGrid City Update

When Xcel Energy announced in 2008 their plan to invest $100 million to upgrade Boulder as the nation's first SmartGrid City, expectations were high that the project would help launch the city further toward energy savings and provide opportunities for numerous local technology companies to complement Xcel's efforts. Ken began with an emphasis on how the evolution of SmartGrid is challenged more by the legal and regulatory environment than by new technology. Getting through the protocols and bureaucracy of Boulder and his company needs to be recognized as the broader challenge to SmartGrid.

"In most cases the technology is already available," said Ken. "The challenge is integration. Boulder is a very complex community, and Xcel is a very complex company." Ken described the numerous legal agencies and regulations that must be addressed as SmartGrid unfolds, from city departments to federal agencies and the state's Public Utilities Commission. "I think it's important to bring this up, so customers understand the dynamics of how we move forward with this project. In fact, the technology is the easiest part."