Images: The many faces of the smart grid

Tomorrow's grid--a schematic

What does tomorrow's grid look like? Here is an image showing the component pieces as seen by Pacific Gas & Electric, one of the most progressive utilities in the country. PG&E is in the process of installing millions of smart meters.

If the grid built in the 1940s and then upgraded in the 1960s was about central power generation and distribution, the modern grid is far more diverse, including distributed power generation, storage, and a network of sensors.

Photo by Martin LaMonica

Caption by Martin LaMonica