Creating momentum through partnership and innovation
From workforce training and carbon capture and sequestration to long-duration energy storage and taking the world stage at the United Nation’s 28th Climate Change Conference, SMUD’s s been out in full force, aligning with partners across town and around the globe and investing in new technology to accelerate our progress.
Conducting training at SMUD's
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Building on our previous record of successful smart meter implementation, we were awarded a $50 million Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership Program (GRIP) grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This grant will support advanced smart grid technologies and increase the reliability, efficiency and flexibility of the electric grid. This next generation of smart meter technology will set us up for future grid needs and allow us to integrate more renewable sources and better partner with our customers for load flexibility. As part of it, we’re also partnering with the Wilton Rancheria Tribe of Miwok Indians on workforce training, home electrification and how to integrate solar and battery storage from Tribal lands into the grid.
Tackling the climate crisis means all solutions must be on the table, and that’s where our partnership with Calpine Corporation comes in. Calpine Corporation applied for, and received, a $270 million grant from the DOE to demonstrate the feasibility of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) at its Sutter Energy Center. SMUD issued a letter of support and is exploring a power purchase agreement to partner on this project, using it as a bridging technology to reduce our reliance on natural-gas power plants. When operational, the CCS project can reduce over 1.5 million metric tons of SMUD’s greenhouse gas emissions annually – a crucial step toward a clean energy future.
Long-duration battery storage |
In 2023, we reached a long-duration energy storage milestone through our partnership with Energy Storage Systems (ESS), Inc. when 6 iron-flow energy storage containers arrived onsite at our world-class Sacramento Power Academy training facility. This is a gamechanger: it’s our first endeavor with iron-flow battery storage systems and will support and create an even more reliable grid and will be a bridge to a clean energy future.
At the end of 2023, SMUD representatives coordinated with the Sacramento Air Quality Management District and the Climate Registry to attend the United Nations 28th Climate Change Conference (COP28) as part of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy’s U.S. delegation, alongside 35+ other U.S. organizations.
SMUD delegation at the COP 28
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This conference takes place every year and is the world’s only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change. With the opportunity to collaborate on a global scale, SMUD engaged in critical dialogue with government officials, non-governmental entities, technology providers and others focusing on energy sector decarbonization.
While at COP28, SMUD joined 2 global initiatives. First was the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance to declare global joint action in advancing electrification, renewable-ready grids and clean energy deployment. The second was the Drive to Zero global Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) around zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, spearheaded by CALSTART and the Government of the Netherlands, which signals our commitment to take the actions necessary to achieve a zero-emission future. These types of collaborations are critical to moving the needle on climate change.