Photos: GE's smart grid kitchen of the future

Another important piece of hardware in a smart grid are servers for handling the flow of data between the utility and its customers. One of the biggest technical challenges is processing and making sense of the huge amounts of data being gathered.

In addition to networked appliances, utilities also envision putting sensors along transmission lines and communications gear, such as routers, in substations. Here are two servers for managing policies during a demand-response event and for managing the electricity distribution system.

Photo by Martin LaMonica/CNET

Caption by Martin LaMonica