Our nation’s electric grid must transform into an integrated digital system to meet expanding 21st century power demands. PNNL is a leading contributor in the nation’s billion-dollar push to develop “smart grids” and the technologies that will radically transform grid operation, increase energy efficiency, incorporate renewable energy, support electrification of the transportation sector and produce a smaller carbon footprint. Meanwhile, University of Washington engineers are inventing sensors to monitor resource use in real time and encourage efficiency in the home – smarter energy from source to user. From the Series:Engineering Lecture Series 2009: Engineering Xtreme Challenges