| Georgia Smart Grid Leaders Host Global Event |
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By Don McDonnell
The evening program underlined Georgia’s ongoing leadership in energy technology and its increasing role as an international center for smart grid technology development. CNN International and Weather Channel Anchor Natalie Allen of Forecast Earth, moderated the event. Allen covers the environment, clean technology, and green initiatives as well as climate and climate change issues.
Live and web attendees raised pointed questions on smart grid consumer engagement, government regulation, and global free market trade in driving smart grid market adoption and innovation. Panelists noted that the global smart grid movement includes a broad range of technologies and components and widely varying strategies reflecting the local needs and interests of stakeholders. While Thomas Edison’s name was evoked -- including the classic reference to him coming back to life and recognizing the grid -- panelist commentary was rooted in pragmatic business realism. The group acknowledged that investment in modernization and innovation of global power systems (smart grid) will be a multi-decade journey. It will involve local markets, regulation, government, and private interests combining to direct the pace and focus of change already underfoot. Atlanta’s Tom Noonan scored humor and hometown live audience points when he quipped that MIT was “the Georgia Tech of the North.” Georgia Tech does in fact play a major role in Georgia’s global leadership as a hub for the advancement of smart grid and energy technology. The non-profit Smart Grid Society of Georgia, organized as a society within the Technology Association of Georgia, includes board member support from Georgia Tech which played a leading role in organizing the program and the event. Other moments of levity included references to Schurr’s survival of a hard landing at the airport and Vartanian’s PR plug for his company’s role in supporting the Chilean miners via their power grid. One critical topic that wasn’t discussed much was the critical role of cyber-security in smart grid technologies. On November 18, the topic will get a full examination when the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) hosts a regional outreach event to review and discuss the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Guidelines for Smart Grid Cyber Security. The ever-increasing cyber threat to critical infrastructure including power systems is posed not only by solo hackers, but also by highly organized, funded and sophisticated threats like Stuxnet. This event will cover vital smart grid ground in a full day workshop. Learn more and register at: http://www.gtri.gatech.edu/news/GTRI-host-NIST-smart-grid-cyber-security. 
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ATLANTA – October 14, 2010 - Last night over 200 gathered in the IBM Hillside Auditorium and thousands more joined the live worldwide broadcast of 
Following a dinner reception, A123’s Director of Market Development Charlie Vartanian spoke on the role of energy storage in smart grid. Natalie Allen moderated a lively panel discussion featuring Vartanian and GE Energy Group’s GM of Systems Engineering Anthony Maiello, IBM’s Allan Schurr, VP of strategy and development for Global Energy and Utilities Industry, and Tom Noonan, president and CEO of energy mangement start-up JouleX. Bonus Navitas Signup
