EnergyAustralia has been announced as the successful bidder in the Australian Government’s Smart Grid, Smart City project. The $100 million demonstration project will be primarily based in Newcastle, with elements extending to a number of other nearby centres. The initiative will gather information about the costs and benefits of smart grids to inform future decisions by government, electricity providers, technology suppliers and consumers across Australia. The 2009 IBM commissioned report by Access Economics into the Economic Benefits of Intelligent Technologies identified Smart Grids as an important investment in the Digital Economy that will deliver substantial returns to the Australian economy.