"A smart grid is one of the holy grails of 'green' technology, enabling utilities to deliver resources when and where they're needed and reduce resources when they're not," says Brendan Coffey.

In The Cabot Green Investor, he explains, "There are larger companies in the smart metering arena, but Echelon (NASDAQ: ELON) has posted some significant wins in the marketplace recently and appears primed to generate more."

"Right now, grids are set up to provide as much power as needed at peak times, all the time. Studies show that when customers are part of a smart grid, and have more information to reduce energy usage, demand is slashed by up to 50%, particularly in areas where rates are discounted depending on the time of day.

"American Superconductor (NASDAQ: AMSC) should benefit from an update of the nation's power grid," says Jim Powell.

Here, the editor of Global Changes & Opportunities Report reviews this leading manufacturer of more efficient high temperature superconductor-based wires and cables.

"I've been writing about infrastructure stocks ever since it became apparent that big federal spending programs were on the way. I believe American Superconductor will perform very well. In fact, its price has already started to rise.

"American Superconductor is not yet profitable. However, the company is well past the development stage. AMSC makes high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires and cables that carry as much as 150 times the current as conventional products of the same weight and diameter.

"The new administration will likely soon launch a new spending program to put people back to work and boost the economy," says Jim Powell, adding, "That's even more likely now that the financial crisis is in full swing and growth is declining."

In his Global Changes & Opportunities Report he looks at General Cable (NYSE: BGC) as a play on the rebuilding of the nation's electric power grid.

"Politicians at all levels have also voiced strong support for rebuilding our woefully inadequate infrastructure. Because building roads, bridges, electrical grids, and so on, will employ many voters, I think allocations for such projects will go to the top of the government's spending list.

"That's especially true since infrastructure projects will also funnel billions of dollars to state and local governments that are facing hard times. All in all, modernizing the the electric power grid should be another very pro?table long-term investment.

"I believe the most promising beneficiary of the electric power project will be General Cable. The company produces products for a wide variety of applications including large cables for long distribution networks.