Technology & Environment

Broadband Plan Recommendations Chapter 12

• Integrate broadband into the Smart Grid
  • As outlined in Chapter 16, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should start a proceeding to explore the reliability and resiliency of commercial broadband communications networks.
  • States should reduce impediments and financial disincentives to using commercial service providers for Smart Grid communications.
  • The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) should clarify its Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) security requirements.
  • Congress should consider amending the Communications Act to enable utilities to use the proposed public safety 700 MHz wireless broadband network.
  • The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the FCC should continue their joint efforts to identify new uses for federal spectrum and should consider the requirements of the Smart Grid.
  • The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with the FCC, should study the communications requirements of electric utilities to inform federal Smart Grid policy. Unleash innovation in smart homes and smart buildings
  • States should require electric utilities to provide consumers access to, and control of, their own digital energy information, including real-time information from smart meters and historical consumption, price and bill data over the Internet. If states fail to develop reasonable policies over the next 18 months, Congress should consider national legislation to cover consumer privacy and the accessibility of energy data.
  • The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) should adopt consumer digital data accessibility and control standards as a model for states.
  • DOE should consider consumer data accessibility policies when evaluating Smart Grid grant applications, report on the states’ progress toward enacting consumer data accessibility and develop best practices guidance for states.
  • The Rural Utilities Services (RUS) should make Smart Grid loans to rural electric cooperatives a priority, including integrated Smart Grid-broadband projects. RUS should favor Smart Grid projects from states and utilities with strong consumer data accessibility policies.
• Accelerate sustainable ICT
• The FCC should start a proceeding to improve the energy efficiency and environmental impact of the communications industry.
• The federal government should take a leadership role in improving the energy efficiency of its data centers.

News

• Broadband Now: Earth Day, USTelecom 4/16/2009
• Celebrate National Cell Phone Recycling Week: Donate Your Used Devices, CTIA 4/9/2009
• Scientist slams newspaper for Google CO2 report, CNET 1/15/2009
• Green Telecom, Part VII: Verizon's Greener Network, NextGenWeb 10/28/2008
• U.S. consumers the least 'green', survey says, CNET 5/9/2008
• Time Warner Telecom Pushes for Telecommuting - The solution to gridlock is to stop going to work, dslreports 4/29/2008
• Swimming pool heated by data center's excess heat, CW 4/10/2008
• U.S. to require agencies to buy 'green' PCs, monitors, CW 1/8/2008
• Divorce pains the planet, CNET 12/4/2007
• Broadband and Greenhouse Gases Event, Verizon 11/1/2007
• At the Poles, Melting Occurring at Alarming Rate, Wash Post 10/23/2007
• Greenpeace blasts Apple over toxic materials in iPhone, CW 10/18/2007
• Greenhouse gases already beyond 'worst-case,' scientist says, Globe and Mail 10/10/2007
• Green tech powers forward, CNET 6/15/2007
• Environmentalists warm to Google Earth, USA Today 6/8/2007
• Green tech powers forward, CNET 5/22/2007
• Study: Worldwide carbon dioxide emissions soar, USA Today 5/22/2007
• Green tech powers forward, CNET 5/8/2007
• E-Commerce Report: As Environmentalism Grows, Online Publishers Go Green, NYT 4/24/2007
• Would A Greentech Bubble Be Such A Bad Thing?, Techdirt 4/18/2007
• Green is gold at Cool Product Expo, CNET 4/12/2007
• Greenpeace ranks Apple last among 'green' electronics makers, USA Today 4/3/2007
• Chinese company tops Greenpeace "Green Ranking" of electronics industry, Greenpeace 4/3/2007
• Portugal fires up solar power plant, CNET 3/30/2007
• UN alliance to work out solution to technology 'wastes', America's Network 3/8/2007
• New Alliance Plans to Tackle Mountains of E-Waste, eweek 3/8/2007
• Solar power eliminates utility bills in New Jersey home, Reuters 1/17/2007
• Scientist: Global warming could melt ice caps, eliminate half of Earth's species, USA Today 1/12/2007
• Save the Planet - Turn Off Your PC, IP Democracy 12/19/2006
• Please Turn Off Your Computers Over Vacation, Techdirt 12/19/2006