November 26th, 2011
GigaOm Pro (subscription required) published an interesting new report recently entitled: “Cleantech, meet connectivity: a new era of energy efficiency.” While a number of interesting points are made, it – like many other reports on the smart grid – fail to note that consumer engagement is the key to making the smart grid truly “smart”. […]
Read more »Getting Consumers to Cross the Smart Grid Chasm
November 26th, 2011
Via The Smart Grid Library, a look at what is truly required to get consumers to “cross” the smart grid “chasm”. As the article notes, it will be innovative financial models that drive this transition …smart markets, anyone? Two years ago, the Smart Grid industry was debating the pros and cons of different displays to […]
Read more »November 13th, 2011
Via Yale’s e360 blog, an interesting interview with David Crane, president and CEO of NRG Energy who believes the U.S. electricity-generating market is on the verge of a profound transformation, not unlike the era two decades ago when the antiquated world of land-line telephones and “Ma Bell” companies was about to give way to cell […]
Read more »Digital Meter Usage Data And New Energy Services: A Smart Idea Seeking A Smart Market
November 11th, 2011
Via GreenMonk, an interesting article on the potential for utilities to use smart meter data to introduce innovative revenue-generating services. While we are in full agreement that utilities need to start thinking of themselves as true energy service providers – with a full ecosystem of services alongside their core mandate of selling water, power, natural […]
Read more »November 11th, 2011
Courtesy of Aguanomics, a very interesting look at decoupling, a strategy used by a number of jurisdictions to try to make it easier for utilities to promote conservation. Alas, while the intent is good, the outcome of decoupling can lead to some unintended – and undesirable – motivations as Dr. Zetland adroitly notes: “Utility revenue […]
Read more »What’s On Your Bill: What Utilities Don’t Tell You
November 10th, 2011
Via the American Council For Energy Efficiency, a very interesting article analyzing what’s on the bills that electric utilities send to their customers. As the report notes, it may be wise – before we jump into discussion of smart meters, smart grids, etc. – for utilities to perhaps start including some basic data to make […]
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