General Electric announced it is locating its $15 million Smart Grid of Excellence near Atlanta, Ga., which will bring 400 jobs to metro Atlanta and makes the city a potential hub for the growing green energy industry.

GE is including in the facility a smart grid engineering laboratory and customer solutions showcase, which will feature interactive displays designed to help visitors better understand the process of delivering electricity over the power grid.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution explained the smart grid concept as the name given to a digital technology system of distribution of electricity to consumers that is more directed and efficient. Supporters believe such a system better regulates power supply and demand.

GE already has a strong presence in the area and Vice President Bob Gilligan called it “an ideal location for us to continue to grow our smart grid business.”

The federal government is on board with the smart grid concept as it recently gave $100 million in grants to companies and colleges to develop engineers in the technology. That has led state and local officials to dream of the area being a leader in the technology.

“This is not just another headquarters,” said Hans Gant, senior vice president of economic development for the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “It is a headquarters for a new industry that could really position Atlanta and Georgia as a leader in that sector nationally and worldwide. ”

GE will move into the new headquarters in July, and the customer showcase is scheduled to open in September.