Building a Better Grid—Infrastructure Upgrades Require Ingenuity, Innovation, and Investment.

The article discusses the need for upgrades to power grid infrastructure in the US and worldwide to handle increased power demand and integrate renewable energy resources. The US Department of Energy supports the integration of solar and wind energy into the grid and has announced a program to streamline permitting and approval of large transmission and distribution projects. Utilities and grid operators, along with the Biden administration, are calling for more long-haul power lines and upgrades to existing transmission to strengthen the grid's reliability and resilience. Funding from the government and private investment will be necessary to finance these projects. Advanced technologies, collaboration among stakeholders, and clear policy support are also important. Aging infrastructure and increasing demand are major challenges, and grid modernization efforts focus on upgrading software, automation and control infrastructure, and transformers. Several jurisdictions have released plans for transmission and distribution upgrades, and companies like Prisma Photonics and Tantalus Systems are involved in grid modernization initiatives. Digitization, automation, and cybersecurity measures are necessary for reliability and resilience, and incorporating alternative resources like battery energy storage is important for sustainability. However, implementing these changes in the decentralized US power infrastructure presents challenges. [Extracted from the article]