Featured Story: SIA, IPC see benefits in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Monday, 02 March 2009 00:00

After much debate in both chambers of Congress, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law last week. Although the act’s intent is to provide $787 billion to prime the pump for the US economy overall and includes federal tax cuts, expansion of unemployment benefits, and spending on education and healthcare, the package includes a number of incentives to encourage semiconductor industry growth, including $11 billion in funding to support development of an electric smart grid.

According to the SIA (Semiconductor Industry Association) some of the benefits for the country as whole for smart grid will come in phases. The first phase is the ability of home meters to communicate back to the grid as to usage, eliminating physical inspections and cutting cost. The second phase is two-way communication when the grid can send data to users, offering differential pricing over time. For example, consumers can do laundry when rates are cheaper and adjust to demand. In phase three, the utility has the ability to adjust appliances. For example, the utility remotely adjusts lighting intensity by a small amount during peak periods. At a later point, this interrelates with solar and wind energy, currently a small but growing part of energy generation.

Another phase contains the potential for widespread adoption of plug-in hybrids and electric cards, according to the SIA. Cars with batteries could be charged during low demand points. These same vehicles can provide energy back to the grid during peak demand. Being able to distribute energy efficiently, is part of smart grid usage, the SIA explained. Any time smart semiconductors transfer information, sensors and communications are included, as well. The demand for chips is broad based.

Read more in the February 24, 2009 EDN

"SIA, IPC see benefits in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act"

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