Clarkson wants students' help with power grid

POTSDAM — Clarkson University students may have a chance to work on updating the state's aging electricity grid.

University President Anthony G. Collins was recently elected to the board of directors of the New York State Smart Grid Consortium. The group of universities, power companies and other organizations is working to create a more efficient power grid that will monitor electricity usage, update the transmission system and allow small energy producers, like solar panel or wind turbine owners, to sell their energy on the open market.

"Clarkson has played such a role in electrical engineering over the years," Mr. Collins said. "I think it's really important for the north country to be involved. I think you need to be at the table."

Consortium members hope that, when complete, the smart grid will reduce the need for large power-generating plants, like nuclear plants or hydro dams, and allow for smaller green-energy producing companies to hook into the grid.

"Most of our distribution systems of power are based on very specific locations where electricity is produced, like the hydro dams here in St. Lawrence County or a nuclear plant," Mr. Collins said. "The smart grid will be a more complicated grid to design and build and service, but the overall operation of that system is going to have to be understood so if you've got a windmill or a solar system, you're going to have to be able to interface."

Most of the time, there is not enough extra room on the lines to allow that with the current, century-old transmission system.

The consortium is working on grant opportunities with the federal stimulus package to invest in research and drafting policies that will allow the grid's creation.

And that's where Clarkson students come in.

"Our students expect to be involved in faculty research projects," Mr. Collins said. "Our research is connected to real problems and when we take on research projects, many of them have an end point. Our faculty want to use our graduate students and our undergraduates."

The project also may create more programs of study at Clarkson, to teach students how to operate and maintain a smart grid system, he said.

The consortium consists of 24 organizations, including the New York Power Authority, General Electric, SUNY Stony Brook and IBM. There are 16 people on its board of directors, including Mr. Collins.