A demonstration program will put PV modules on houses and use those to supported a distributed, smart-grid initiative. Photo: Redfin.com

A recent story on Grist.org describes how the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois is embarking on a far-reaching program to demonstrate a resilient power grid using smart-grid technology. With support from the Korea Smart Grid Institute, which carried out a similar demonstration on Jeju Island off South Korea, and the International Institute for Sustainable Design, Oak Park will be installing solar-electric (PV) systems on houses and providing utility-interactive battery storage systems. When the utility company needs extra capacity, they will be able to switch the distributed rooftop PV systems so that they feed power into the grid, with homeowners and businesses relying on battery storage.

Click to access the full article, “Oak Park test drives a blackout-proof, solar-powered smart grid.”

One thought on “Oak Park to Demonstrate Resilience With Smart Grid”

  1. This sort of decentralized smart grid system is great to see becoming a reality. I hope we get to see a similar push for “Smart Water Grid” approaches to exploit synergies with stormwater management and water conservation based around a hybrid cistern/detention vault as the “Battery”.

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