Facility managers know better than anyone how important grid reliability is for not just efficient operations of their facilities, but also the health and safety of their building’s occupants.
So here’s a piece of good news: The U.S. Department of Energy announced it is investing $3.46 billion (that’s billion, with a B) in upgrading and modernizing the electricity grid. The funding is coming from the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that President Joe Biden signed in 2021. The money will be used for 58 projects across 44 states.
The reasons this investment is necessary are clear: According to Grist, the number of weather-related power outages increased 78 percent between 2011 and 2021. Furthermore, the investment will help modernize the grid in order to better prepare it for the coming influx of renewable energy. DOE says the funding will help bring more than 35 gigawatts of new renewable energy online. The investment will also help create 400 microgrids to improve overall reliability.
“Extreme weather events fueled by climate change will continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems, but President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will ensure America’s power grid can provide reliable, affordable power,” said U.S Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in a release. “Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden systems, improve energy reliability and affordability—all while generating union jobs for highly skilled workers.”
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
