NTS Smart Grid Blog

IBM pushes forward with UK smart meter plans

Derek — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:42:58 +0000

IBM is speeding up research into the development of smart meters for the UK, as the government and industry push forward with ‘smart grid’ plans. Downing Street has ambitious plans to roll out smart meters, claiming that every home in the UK will have a smart electricity meter, and potentially a smart gas meter, by [...]

Super green!

Derek — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:42:00 +0000

Over the last four years, I have focused much of my personal time and the newspaper’s resources on trying to answer a simple question: What can we do to increase the odds that our great, great grandchildren will live on a habitable planet? I was therefore delighted when Mayor Kevin Johnson told me a few [...]

Meter Data Management: Get a Roadmap!

Derek — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:40:52 +0000

It’s not just about doing a pilot and then collecting data off of smart meters. Utilities looking to manage data coming from smart metering must have a multi-tiered plan in place, Larsh Johnson, director and CTO of eMeter, said during a GTM Webinar on Wednesday moderated by Chet Geschickter, Smart Grid Analyst with GTM Research. [...]

SDG&E COO Mike Niggli: Cost-effective smart grid storage the ‘holy grail’ for utilities

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:39:12 +0000

The nation’s nascent smart grid has begun its deployment, and the state with the most traction is California. So what are the issues facing those utility companies at the forefront of the movement? I spoke with San Diego Gas & Electric president and COO Michael Niggli to find out. Niggli, who also serves as COO [...]

Wary of ‘smart’ meters

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:33:03 +0000

As the “smart meters” that give homeowners details about their electric use make their way into the Chicago market, consumers in some other places aren’t welcoming the new gadgets. The meters, which use wireless technology to give homeowners details about their electric use and pricing, are raising concerns in California and Texas about their accuracy, [...]

Duke Scaling Back on Smart Grid Technology Proposal

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:31:19 +0000

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is scheduled to review today Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) latest proposal to bring smart grid technology to the state. Late last year, state regulators turned down the company’s $450 million proposal to roll out the digital, interactive technology statewide over six years. Communications Manager Lew Middleton says the company [...]

Arthur D. Little: Telecoms Operators Prepare to Tap into the Smart Grid

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:30:08 +0000

A strong opportunity exists for telecoms operators to enter the power market by providing backbone infrastructure for smart grids. This is the core finding of a new report from global management consultancy Arthur D. Little – “Smart Grid opportunities for telcos” – in which experts analyze a range of business models in the context of [...]

Coalition claims it will speed up smart metering

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:22:32 +0000

Former climate change minister Ed Miliband disagrees, saying the coalition has adopted Labour’s timetable At the launch of the consultation on the faster rollout of smart domestic energy metering this week, climate change secretary Chris Huhne said he wanted to see significant acceleration of smart meter rollout compared with that planned by the previous government. [...]

Take Part in the “Greet the Smart Grid” Summit with Google

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:29:07 +0000

How do you reach a national audience of utilities? For starters, take part in “Greet the Smart Grid” with us and Google (News – Alert)! Things are really coming along now on all fronts for our upcoming Smart Grid Summit. We’ve just added a new session, and I wanted to tell you about it here. One [...]

It’s Time For Sun, Sea And… Smart Meters

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:21:31 +0000

So the government has finally decided to put some meat on the bones of its smart meter plans. The long awaited Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus was released this week in the last proper splurge of business before the dog days of summer. Not much of a fanfare then for what the government admits will [...]

Here Comes the Sun: D.C.’s Solar Power Industry Tries to Grow-Around Pepco

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:19:08 +0000

Skyline Innovations, a one-year-old solar installation startup, feels straight out of 1999: Instead of a glassy downtown office, the seven-person staff operates out of a corner room in Affinity Lab, a communal workspace in Adams Morgan. Tasks are managed using a bulletin board covered with index cards, and typical work attire includes a T-shirt and [...]

BC Hydro prepares to roll out Smart Meters

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:17:35 +0000

B.C. Hydro took a significant step forward this week in implementing its Smart Meter program by issuing a request for proposals. The $930-million project is expected to be fully rolled out by the end of 2012 with the first smart meters being installed as early as next summer. via Nanaimo News Bulletin – BC Hydro [...]

Smart meters: Fun is the key to energy savings

Derek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:16:12 +0000

In-home energy displays may fail to meet their objectives unless an element of fun is introduced, claims engineering services firm Aricent. It is assumed that once consumers have energy displays in their homes, they will use them to save money, and will therefore save energy. via Smart meters: Fun is the key to energy savings [...]

Energy policy, smart meters and electric cars

Derek — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:15:30 +0000

Coincidental with DECC’s release of its energy review, consultancy Arthur D Little is publishing a report on energy policy, Realigning UK energy policy – from a high-cost, low-output system to a robust, cost-efficient infrastructure. BusinessGreen.com spoke to Nick White, UK managing director and energy practice leader at the consultancy and co-author of the report. via [...]

Experts Warn Of High Cost Of Smart Meter Rollout

Derek — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:14:27 +0000

The publication of the government’s consultation document on the plan to roll out smart meters to every home in the UK have been questioned by consumer groups concerned about who will end up paying for the costs of the project. The smart meter prospectus, published earlier this week, provides details on the government’s plans for [...]

GrDF Selects Itron to Deploy Smart Metering System in France

Derek — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:13:46 +0000

Itron, Inc. (ITRI 63.08, +5.20, +8.98%) announced today that Gaz reseau Distribution France (GrDF), the main gas utility in France and 100% owned subsidiary of GdF Suez, has chosen Itron to deploy its EverBlu(TM) fixed data collection system to 5,000 residential customers in Saint-Omer, North of France. As part of the European Energy Directives and [...]

Lutron Helps the Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition Raise Awareness of Electricity System and Usage

Derek — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:21:43 +0000

Light control manufacturer Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., is pleased to announce its association with The Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition (DRSG) to develop compatible products and help raise awareness of how lighting demand response activities can easily stabilize the grid. The DRSG communicates the opportunities in building the Smart Grid infrastructure and practices that [...]

10 Things I’ve Learned About the Smart Grid

Derek — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:17:18 +0000

I first heard the term “Smart Grid” in 2005 when I was invited to a meeting of the GridWise Architecture Council in Denver to discuss possibilities for organizing a collaborative Smart Grid event. With a background in building automation and energy management, I could easily grasp the concept of Smart Grid — basically, connect and [...]

EDSA Makes Microgrids, Energy Independence Real

Derek — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:41:21 +0000

When a company like Cypress Semiconductor and T.J. Rodgers, its iconoclastic CEO, declares “energy independence” — it’s a sure sign of a coming shift. The traditional relationship between power company and power customer is changing, albeit slowly, with the advent of distributed generation, in both renewable and non-renewable forms. The “downhill” flow of energy from [...]

Smart meters to be largest wireless comms app, says analyst

Derek — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:40:17 +0000

A report from Pike Research forecasts that 276 million smart grid communications nodes will be shipped worldwide during the period from 2010 to 2016. The cleantech market intelligence firm expects that this will represent a total industry investment of $20.3bn during the seven-year forecast period. This means that annual revenues increase from $1.8bn in 2009 [...]