^[1]

Biden

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden picked a somewhat strange place to announce billions in stimulus funding for modernizing the country’s electrical grid.

Biden outlined the new fiscal boost this afternoon on a visit to Missouri — a state that is lagging behind on “smart grid” technology.

Just across the river, Illinois ranks among one of the top states embracing the technology.

In a Post-Dispatch story ^[2] last week, the head of the Missouri Public Service Commission scolded the state for being “slow to adopt any of the new technologies.”

“Whether it be renewable generation, smart grid technologies or energy efficiency, we’re traditionally very slow at looking into those few things,” said Robert Clayton, chairman of the commission. “The smart grid discussions need to begin as soon as possible.”

Smart grid is a group of new technologies that make power usage more efficient, gives more choices to consumers and bridges the gap to more renewable energy. As is evident by the funding Biden announced today, smart grid technologies are an integral part of President Barack Obama’s energy policy.

The efforts Biden announced allot nearly $4 billion to supplying utilities with the technology and developing demonstration projects. The applications for funding will be reviewed for 20 days before final guidelines are released.