Energy Secretary Steve Chu committed $144 million in Stimulus funds for smart grid jobs training.
“America cannot build a 21st Century energy economy with a mid-20th Century electricity system. This is why the Obama Administration is investing in projects that will lay the foundation for a modernized, resilient electrical grid,” he said, speaking in a press release in concert with his keynote remarks at the GridWeek conference in Washington.
In his addrress, Chu focused on reconciling the grid for different types of renewable energy such as wind and solar. He also spoke about the need to create storage mediums so electricity can be stored when demand is slack and used during peak periods.
Some $60-$65 million will be earmarked to hire and retrain workers at utilities and manufacturers. Another $30-$35 million will be used to set up smart grid training programs.
The rest will go to state utility commissions to train employees to review and expedite smart grid energy projects.
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