The Regional Plan Association recently held their Annual Regional Assembly, focused this year on technology and innovation. Thomas K. Wright of the RPA talks about some of the smart ideas that came out of the assembly.
Sessions focused on congestion pricing, open source data from transit agencies, and the smart grid:
"The smart grid is another potentially transformative innovation, creating a two-way electrical supply system that monitors the flows and demands on energy to prioritize uses and needs and reduce overall power demand (and, by extension, carbon emissions). And electric vehicles are essentially batteries on wheels, charging up during the night (when demand is lowest) and providing mobile sources of supply that can be drawn down during peak periods. Suddenly, metropolitan areas become the country's most efficient and interconnected energy users, gaining incredible competitive advantages."
FULL STORY: Planning for Innovation: The Next Regional Challenge
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