Date: May 07, 2012

"The US needs to develop a coordinated program to architect and build the next generation power grid or Smart Grid, harness renewable energy sources and reduce its carbon foot-print while expanding generation and distribution capacities (see [3] for additional details). It is envisaged that a Smart Grid will allow household appliances to communicate with utility services through home computers and mobile devices, adjust consumption based on real time prices, and be able to sell electricity back into the grid generated from renewable sources, or stored in through their plug-in electric vehicles. This requires consumers to act as suppliers at times and the grid to be able to handle two-way ?ows."