Jim Pierobon is Founder and principal writer of The Energy Fix. He is a policy, marketing and social media strategist who has reported on, testified and consulted about smarter grids, cyber-security as it affects the power grid, fossil fuel shortages, price spikes, energy efficiency and the rise and fall -- and the rise again of nuclear and renewable energy sources.FAST FIX: How the Smart Grid can save households almost $600 per year
If you need to quickly grasp the potential and benefits of the emerging smart grid in the U.S., this infographic is the best effort yet. It comes courtesy of the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative and its 90+ member utilities, technology companies, non-profits, regulators and consumers advocates. Increasing the power grid’s efficiency by 9% equates to [...]
If half of U.S. consumers don’t know what a ‘smart meter’ is, how are they supposed to engage?
That is perhaps the most interesting question raised by the latest “Consumer Pulse” research by the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative. In its third survey by the Collaborative of at least 1,000 consumers throughout the U.S. since 2011 reflecting the U.S. demographics, 54% of Americans who are heads of households and at least 18 years old [...]
Purported smart meter fires: how power industry can get the facts, manage the risks
As dozens of U.S. utilities ramp up their deployment of smart grid programs and with them new digital / smart meters, a few meter installations reportedly are causing small fires that could undermine the trust utilities need to continue updating the nation’s 100+year-old electric system. It is not clear how many real fires have resulted [...]
Are low-income consumers slowing smart grid progress? Hardly . . .
The answer thus far would appear to be that low-income consumers are looking forward to smarter energy offerings based on fresh data from the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative. A recent survey for Collaborative sheds light on the opportunity and the challenge of engaging consumers who have annual family incomes up to $20,000 (for a family [...]
FAST FIX: debunking 6 myths about smart meters
Courtesy of the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative, here are facts about smart/digital meters and six commonly circulated myths — debunked. 1. Smart meters are less accurate than analog meters. Public service commissions require meter manufacturers to supply independently certified testing results to prove that their smart meters provide accurate measurements. 2. Smart meters are a [...]
Smart grid apps poised to score energy savings on top of more-successful-than-expected efficiency programs
Early lessons from utilities deploying proactive smart grid programs with their customers point to potentially significant energy savings if consumers are engaged with targeted communications they find relevant to their values and lifestyles. When matched with stronger-than-expected gains being achieved through more traditional efficiency programs found in a report out this month by the Consortium [...]
Consumers deserve a LOT more information about smart grid functions, benefits — new research; are Republicans opposed?
New research out this morning for the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative affirms what what is needed for utilities, and their vendors, need to accomplish for smart grid applications to grow more quickly: educate, educate and educate some more. Here are the key findings, followed by selected top-line implications. The research, conducted by Market Strategies International [...]
One way to prove smart grid benefits: assess power outages and how systems recover more quickly
Consumers, utility executives and regulators can debate the benefits of smart grid applications all they want. But proof is emerging that they can dramatically cut short power outages and even help save lives. It begs the question why these benefits are not more of the smart grid discussion. The speed and efficiency with which Vermont [...]
Best Buy aiming to demystify home energy with services launching today in Chicago, SF and Houston
Striving to become U.S. consumers’ “home energy department” store with a “Geek Squad” for energy appliances and software applications, Best Buy Senior Vice President Neil McPhail kicked off the company’s move to become the go-to resource for understanding, controlling and reducing consumption while “maximizing” their lifestyle. Stores in Chicago, Houston and San Francisco are in [...]
Engaging consumers about smart grid apps: face-to-face better than Facebook
From the successes, hiccups and outright failures of utilities trying to deploy smart grid applications, those worth emulating are few. As previous posts on TheEnergyFix demonstrate, Southern California Edison is widely hailed for rolling out programs that are working. So is Oklahoma Gas & Electric. Another success story to emulate is the “PowerCents DC” effort [...]