Published: March 6, 2010

Colorado Law’s Center for Energy and Environmental Security (CEES) Senior Research Fellow Kevin Doran received a grant to study and make recommendations on developing a smart grid for Colorado. Smart grids combine information technology with traditional grid infrastructure in order to increase connectivity, automation, and coordination between electricity suppliers and consumers in an effort to reduce energy waste. “Smart grid represents a major technological shift,” says Doran. “But like most technological advances, it presents both opportunities and challenges. This report will help ensure the State is forward-looking with respect to both the pitfalls and rewards of Smart Grid deployment.”Doran’s paper, which will be completed and sent to Colorado Governor Bill Ritter by June 2010, will look at issues such as consumer privacy, workforce development, energy efficiency, rate recovery, and retail pricing structures. The paper will help the state of Colorado proactively address the key issues and concerns with Smart Grid development.Professor Frank Barnes from CU-Boulder’s Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering is co-researching the paper with Doran. Additional research assistance comes from CU-Boulder faculty in Leeds School of Business, Department of Sociology, Telecommunications Program, and Computer Science Program will be involved in developing the report.