Smart city technologies in the USA: Smart grid and transportation initiatives in Columbus, Ohio

Abstract Since the 1960s, the United States has been instrumental in the development of the technologies that operationalize smart cities. Research, development, and implementation is typically driven by a mix of private sector technological development and public sector initiative. Energy efficiency, renewable energy, and more convenient local transportation have been driving factors. This chapter gives an overview of the recent history of smart city development across the U.S. with an emphasis on smart grids. Columbus, Ohio’s smart grid on-going implementation, is used as a case study to examine funding, technology, and effectiveness of smart city implementation.