Updating Our Electricity Grid
Our electricity grid was designed over 100 years ago. Times have changed. Today, clean energy can be harnessed right where we live, so electricity doesn’t have to come from polluting power plants miles away. But we must upgrade our grid to take advantage of it.
CLF in Action
CLF is tackling grid modernization in New England from all angles. We’re pushing to update old pole-and-wire systems to better incorporate local solar and wind energy. We’re urging incentives for utilities to add smart meters to improve communication between the electrical system and homes and businesses. And we’re working with state agencies and our public utilities throughout New England to change energy policies to better reflect 21st-century technology and needs.
Implementing smart policies and allowing much-needed innovation within this industry will save families and businesses money on their electricity. These changes will also help us get to 100% clean electricity supply and expand electric forms of transportation, efficient electric appliances, and clean electric heating.
What’s at Stake
An aging electricity grid can limit the ability of families and businesses to take advantage of new technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps. Modernizing our grid allows us to save energy and money on our monthly bills while slashing carbon pollution.
A grid outfitted with smart meters — which facilitate two-way communication between your house and the electricity grid — would let families run appliances when energy prices are lowest. It would also allow businesses to more easily incorporate energy efficiency measures into their daily operations. And we need a modernized grid to integrate more local renewable energy sources, like solar panels, into our energy system.
Grid modernization includes a mix of policy change, utility investments, and infrastructure investments that will allow us to fully electrify our transportation and buildings using clean energy. With a modern electric grid, we can support New England-wide electrification and keep our climate safe.
