I wanted to share with you the following article published by Buffalo Business First :

The New York Power Authority and SUNY Polytechnic Institute will work to create a world-class facility devoted to energy technology innovation and deployment of smart-grid technology to modernize New York’s electric grid.

NYPA will commit $35 million to the project.

The facility, to be called the Advanced Grid Innovation Laboratory for Energy (AGILe) will simulate, develop, test and deploy a more integrated grid. AGILe will provide a setting for NYPA to pursue its own grid-related research and development, and foster research of interest to transmission system operators, utilities, software and hardware manufacturers, government agencies and universities.

Officials said the project would address a recommendation identified by Cuomo’s Energy Highway Task Force: using public-private partnerships to modernize and enhance New York’s aging energy infrastructure, and expedite commercial development of new technologies.

A NYPA spokesman said that the plan is for AGILe to be located in the Capital Region, to take advantage of the proximity of SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Albany. An exact location has yet to be determined, and any costs to retrofit an existing building are unknown. Likewise, there is no timetable for its completion.

Newer electrical system technologies, such as advanced transmission system monitoring sensors, increasing electric vehicle stations, and microgrids, need to be tested in advanced laboratory settings before deployment. By simulating the impact of expected changes to the grid, researchers can better understand impacts and design system improvements to accommodate emerging technologies and improve real-time operations. These simulations can lower grid improvement costs and enable a better response to conditions that could threaten power reliability and quality.