US and Russia commit to cooperation on smart grid technologies

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and  the US Department of Energy (USDOE) are supporting efforts to share experience and best practices among US and Russian municipalities and utilities. This month, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in San Diego and Belgorod, Russia, building on an earlier exchange involving utilities and regulators in Texas and federal and utility officials in Kaluga, Russia.    

USAID's Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Jonathan Hale explained that this new US–Russia cooperation will enable utilities to reduce harmful emissions, including greenhouse gases, by enhancing their ability to help consumers use energy more efficiently; integrate and deliver renewable energy; and more efficiently transmit and deliver electricity to consumers.

At the G8 Summit in Deauville, France, Presidents Obama and Medvedev highlighted the mutual interest of their countries in energy efficiency and sustainable energy development and the progress that has been made since their announcement of this initiative at the Summit on June 24, 2010. Under the Energy Working Group of the Presidential Bi-national Commission, USAID in cooperation with USDOE and the U.S. Energy Association, (USEA) have developed and begun implementation of a smart grid partnership program.

Exchange visits by Russian industry technical and government officials to Texas and Washington, D.C. in December 2010, and by CenterPoint Energy and Austin officials to Russia in the spring of this year, produced ideas for possible pilot projects that are currently under review. Will Polen, USEA Program Manager, stated that this exchange of "industry experience and knowledge" broadens the perspectives of the participants and can help spur new ideas and innovations in tackling these twenty-first century problems.

USAID is working with USDOE in fostering additional partnerships, including a municipal partnership between the cities of San Diego and Belgorod. A delegation from Belgorod visited San Diego and Silicon Valley technologies in April and a return visit is planned for June 2011 within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding  concluded prior to the Summit. From these initial exchanges, it is clear that U.S. companies are very interested in exploring opportunities in Russia as this large system further modernizes its transmission and distribution infrastructure.