U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today that the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) for a grant to produce a series of short educational videos on power grid operations and Smart Grid installation and use.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today that the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) for a grant to produce a series of short educational videos on power grid operations and Smart Grid installation and use. $247,360 in Recovery Act funding has been designated for the project.

NEMA’s “Vids for Grids: New Media for the New Energy Workforce” is one of 54 Smart Grid workforce training programs being funded. In collaboration with Northern Virginia Community College, George Mason University, and member manufacturers, NEMA will produce a series of short videos that demonstrate Smart Grid equipment, explain electrical engineering concepts, and portray careers in electrical manufacturing. Upon completion, the videos will be available to the public.

The project, the only one funded in Virginia and the only one awarded to a non-profit association, will demonstrate a best practice in integrating new media into engineering core curricula.

NEMA member partners in the Vids for Grids project include Beacon Power, Cooper Power Systems, Eaton Corporation, Elster Metering, Hubbell Incorporated, Leviton, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Rockwell Automation, Southwire Company, Thomas & Betts, and The Valley Group (a Nexans Company). Video services will be provided by Metro Productions.

The DOE announcement is available at www.energy.gov/news/8842.htm