Letter: Meter technology is rapidly changing |
Environment Commissioner responds to Computerworld article |
| It is certainly true to say that three years ago, when the roll-out of smart meters started in New Zealand, there was no commonly agreed technology standards. However, as with most technology, things change quickly. Internationally, the technology does now appear to be converging to a common industry standard – a wireless network with open access protocol, ZigBee. Victoria (Australia) is investing in this technology as are the big utilities in California, for example. |
| HAN technology currently available does allow a smart meter to communicate with an in-home display. Overseas results suggest at least a 5 percent reduction in electricity consumption can be made by householders through the reminder of an in-home display; even greater savings are likely once smart appliances and “smart pricing“ come online. You can download our report at www.pce.parliament.nz. Read more at computerworld.co.nz |
Smart meters cracking into U.S. homes |
The number of smart electricity meters with two-way communications is poised to mushroom in the next two years, according to a study.
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Research company Park Associates this week released figures for smart-meter installations in the U.S., saying that there are 8 million units installed, or about 6 percent of all meters.
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The enabling technology for the more sophisticated home-energy management systems includes various wireless communications options for within the home and for smart meters. But even though many of the technology components are now available, there are a number of barriers to widespread adoption of the smart grid, even with billions of stimulus dollars targeted for smart-grid programs.
Read more at news.cnet.com |
Microsoft Debuts Power Conservation Website |
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Wednesday unveiled its Hohm website designed to help residential power consumers save money and reduce their environmental impact by conserving energy. |
Microsoft has been selling technology to the energy industry for years and is now targeting the home power market as the weak economy forces consumers to find ways to save money and the government prepares to mandate the use of renewables and energy efficiency to curb carbon emissions. |
Hohm uses complicated algorithms to analyze information provided by consumers and participating utilities to help them better understand their power usage, get recommendations and save money. |
Google this year rolled out a similar program called PowerMeter, which is available to a limited group of customers served by partner utilities. Google plans to expand PowerMeter this year. Read more at www.wired.com |
NZ homes get ‘dumb’ metering
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In a report released yesterday, Jan Wright slammed the introduction of smart meters and urged government intervention to force electricity companies to provide more consumer-friendly features. |
Wright said that because there were no minimum standards set by the Government, the meters had functions such as remote meter reading, which benefited power companies but not consumers or the environment. |
Wright said that of the 1.3 million smart meters being installed over the next four years, more than 800,000 will be “dumb”. |
Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee urged power companies to read the commissioner’s report and “voluntarily go down that track”. |
“Unfortunately, if the Government stepped in and demanded something, in a few short years we would find it was obsolete technology,” he said. Read more at www.stuff.co.nz |
| Energized about our first Google PowerMeter partners |
| Earlier this year I blogged about energy information and a tool our engineers developed called Google PowerMeter, a Google gadget that can show consumers their personal electricity consumption right on a home computer. Our software relies on “smart meters” (or other metering devices) as a data source. Over the past several months we’ve been looking to partner with utilities that are installing (or have already installed) this equipment in their customers’ homes. Read more at googleblog.blogspot.com |
| Using the stimulus to advance smarter energy use |
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed by President Obama in February, includes tens of billions of dollars in federal stimulus funding for clean energy. This investment gives our country an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our energy system and make it cleaner and more efficient. It’s also an opportunity to become “smarter” about the way we all use energy. |
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Meter technology is rapidly changing
