"These reports can be used as additional tools for state commissioners and investment decision-makers as they consider both public and private investments in smart grid," says Katherine Hamilton, President of the GridWise Alliance.

The Handbook for Assessing Smart Grid Projects, authored by KEMA with input from GridWise Alliance members and the Edison Electric Institute, is a guidebook for measuring smart grid project investments. It details a series of metrics that should be considered when evaluating a smart grid project for approval and evaluation. The report provides a supplement to existing measurement resources in both the private and public sector.

"This report ensures that we consider all of the aspects of smart grid and appropriately quantify measures so that we can clearly see benefits of each project," says Ralph Masiello, Senior Vice President, KEMA and primary author. KEMA produced the report as part of its membership in the GridWise Alliance.

The second report by the Department of Energy's (DoE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), What is Missing in our Fundamental Knowledge of Smart Grid Implementation? identifies key questions that still need to be answered as the nation transforms its electric infrastructure.

"These are critical gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed at the national level," says Carl Imhoff, Electric Infrastructure Market Sector manager at PNNL and primary author. "It's important we carefully leverage this next round of investments in smart grid to the greatest extent possible as we continue to transform our national electric infrastructure."