Electric cars sit charging in a parking garage at the University of California, Irvine January 26, 2015. “The Irvine Smart Grid Demonstration”, a $79 million project funded half by federal stimulus money and half by Edison and partners like UC Irvine, was launched in 2010. The $12 billion utility's research team Southern California Edison is testing everything from charging electronic vehicles via cell phone to devices that smooth out the power created by rooftop solar panels. Those are some of the roughly 60 projects in the works at Edison's Advanced Technology division. It has a small $19 million annual budget, but its influence far exceeds that. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Computer science professor Christa Lopes holds an appliance communication module attached to the refrigerator in her home in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. Lopes said the Irvine Smart Grid Demonstration, a $79 million project funded half by federal stimulus money and half by Edison and partners like UC Irvine, cut her electric bill to zero in the summer. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Computer science professor Christa Lopes' Scion IQ electric car is plugged in in her garage next to a residential energy storage unit in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Computer science professor Christa Lopes points to a domestic hot water solar system in her home in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Computer science professor Christa Lopes' Scion IQ electric car is plugged in in her garage in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Computer science professor Christa Lopes stands next to her home and her Scion IQ electric car in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Dual electricity meters are seen outside of computer science professor Christa Lopes' home in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Jerry Thode, sub project manager of the Irvine Smart Grid Demonstration project, points out a community energy storage box in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Solar panels are seen on the roof of a home in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

A Scion IQ electric car given to a resident of University of California, Irvine faculty housing drives down a street in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Grant Davis, an engineer at the Energy Storage Group of Advanced Technology, points out a distribution battery energy storage system in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Grant Davis, an engineer at the Energy Storage Group of Advanced Technology, opens a battery energy container next to a parking garage with a solar car shade in Irvine, California January 26, 2015. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)