From the inception of AC electricity in the late 19th century, the US electric grid and that of many nations throughout the world grew in a unidirectional manner:  energy was generated by the utility and consumed by businesses and homes whose usage was monitored once a month for billing purposes.  With advances in modern electronics, networking, and alternative power, the electrical distribution system can be greatly enhanced via a multidirectional system where power and information is sent to and from the end user.  A smart grid is a range of technologies that allow for more complex interactions between the utility and consumer.  Some of these interactions include better monitoring of energy generation, transmission, and usage so that a utility can better predict demand, pinpoint outages, and serve its customers.  A smart grid allows for better integration of consumer generated power such as solar panels or turbines.  In addition, a smart grid could result in lower utlity rates for customers through automating electical demand such as controlling charging car batteries when utility usage is low.