THE SMART GRIDIntroductionThe American Society of Civil Engineers suggests that the United States will need to invest $1.5 trillion in today's power grid by 2030. This same group also gave the United States a “D Rating” for current network infrastructure. The United States received this rating because the current network is outdated and inefficient compared to what is available. The United States desperately needs to modernize its grid to make it compatible with new technologies and maximize the efficiency of electricity transmission. Many consider this upgrade essential; the question however is: when? Many have supported this upgrade because it allows for the addition of new technological advancements and the massive incorporation of renewable energy resources into the grid. Others oppose the smart grid upgrade because of its estimated cost. This will not be a cheap project and will be a major strain on an already struggling economy. They all agree, however, that this technology will need to be implemented at some point.ExplanationThe power grid is the term for the network of power lines, transformers and any other tools needed to transport electricity to the consumer's home . The current network relies on workers to collect the necessary data and report to engineers and supervisors who then advise how to maintain the network. Today, in the computer age, intelligent networking has become possible. The concept of smart grid is similar to that of a smartphone. Smartphones are run by powerful computers that provide the maximum possible efficiency to give the phone more features and run faster. This is what the smart grid can do; it maximizes network efficiency and makes it compatible with the latest technologies. The smart grid incorporates two-way communication...... middle of paper ...... so these upgrades are as dramatic as the benefits. The question remains whether the US economy can fiscally support this upgrade. If so, there should be no reason to delay the upgrade, it will have to be done eventually and could be even more costly in the future.BIBLIOGRAPHYABB Inc. “Energy Efficiency in the Power Grid”. ABB Inc., 2007. http://www04.abb.com/global/seitp/seitp202.nsf/c71c66c1f02e6575c125711f004660e6/64cee3203250d1b7c12572c8003b2b48/$FILE/Energy+efficiency+in+the+power + grid.pdf.American Society of Civil Engineers , “2009 Americas Infrastructure Bulletin,” March 25, 2009, 4. Palmer, Roxanne. “The Growing Difficulties of Solar Power Under Sunny Hawaii and Cloudy Skies in Germany.” International Business Times, December 23, 2013. http://www.ibtimes.com/solar-power-growing-pains-how-will-hawaii-germany-cope-boom-alternative-energy-1518702.