"A smart grid makes use of coded signals that travel along power lines, much like DSL broadband messages move through the phone telephone," explains growth stock expert Jim Powell.

In Global Changes & Opportunities Report, he looks at two favorite plays on the development of a smart grid: Esco Technologies (NYSE: ESE) and Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR).

"In a smart grid, the signals allow electric meters to report power consumption automatically to suppliers. At the same time, signals can be sent to customer's appliances such as freezers and refrigerators to prevent them from cycling on and off at the same time.

The best example of an iconic American industrial giant is General Electric (NYSE: GE). The company has so many diverse revenue sources that it's hard to know where to begin.

Capital, energy infrastructure, technology infrastructure and entertainment are all part of the GE family.

During the past year or so, the company's capital division has fallen on hard times. But we think that when the pain subsides in the financial sector, GE's money side will likely regain its health.

On the energy infrastructure side, we know that the Obama plan to put billions of dollars into a new, 21st-century "smart" electric power grid will likely include the biggest and best companies in this sector.

GE is unquestionably one of the biggest and best in this field, and their expertise in building out our energy generation system will be a big part of what gets America back on the road toward a brighter future.

Take a look at all ten stocks to fall in love with again.

Jim Woods is a Senior Editor for OptionsZone.com.

It seems that we are moving ever closer to the home of tomorrow that we were promised in those Tom & Jerry cartoons (remember those?). Search giant Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced that it will enter into the burgeoning "smart grid" business, which will help reduce electrical energy consumption.

How will the technology work? Well, GOOG has developed a free service called PowerMeter, which consumers can use to track energy usage while it is being consumed in their homes or businesses. Don't worry, this isn't some Big Brother situation, GOOG is not becoming the all-powerful Oz here. According to the head of GOOG's philanthropy arm (yes, they have one), the technology will "depend on a whole ecosystem of utilities, device makers and policies that would allow consumers to have detailed access to their home energy use."