Analytics for utility business intelligence: Training May 29-31

Later this month in San Francisco, eMeter, a Siemens business, will offer a special three-day, hands-on workshop. Here utilities will learn how to use eMeter’s Analytics Foundation to solve problems and support core business goals. This course will cover some key aspects and capabilities of the latest version (1.2) of the Analytics Foundation package for Energy IP 7.X.

Full post: Training May 29-31: Using analytics for business intelligence

U.S shows strong gains in energy efficiency, sustainability: new report

Significant data presented in a new market intelligence report on U.S. clean energyindicates that overall U.S. electricity demand is flat or even declining.

According to this report (published by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the Business Council on Sustainable Energy), total U.S. energy use fell 6.4% from 2007-2012. This was driven largely by advances in state and federal energy efficiency initiatives, which the power sector frequently opposes.

Read full guest post by Doug Todd, director of U.S. Government Affairs for Siemens Corp.: Report: Strong U.S gains in energy efficiency, sustainability

Power grid resilience: how the smart grid can help

Resilience: it’s a hot topic on the exhibit floor and in the hallways at this week’sDistributech conference in San Diego.

Resilience means the ability of the power grid to withstand natural disasters and other attacks (think computer hacking or terrorism), as well as faster restoration after outages. Resilience also means withstanding disturbances and fluctuations on the grid caused by solar power, wind turbines, and even electric vehicle chargers. These things vary according to the vagaries of weather and whims of electricity consumers — in strong contrast to centrally controlled and operated power stations and transmission grids.

How can the smart grid help? Here are some options…

Full post: Why power grid resilience has people talking

How to engage consumers? Proven strategies

When trying to engage consumers with energy information, details matter. That’s the main point of a new report from the Finnish research institute VaasaETT. VaasaETT conducted a qualitative investigation of nine exemplary utility programs from Australia, the U.S. and Europe. They found several common factors that appear to be crucial to program success…

Full post: Proven recipes for successful consumer engagement

Sandy recovery: smart meters help get the power back on

Hurricane Sandy has caused the second largest storm-related power outage in U.S. history, extending to 8.1 million customers — around 25 million people. We extend our thoughts and prayers to all those affected. Only Hurricane Irene in 2011 knocked out more customers: 9.3 million, including in Puerto Rico.

Utility crews from across the eastern half of the U.S. are helping get the power back on in affected areas. While they can’t do anything about downed power lines, smart meters are helping as well.

Full post: Sandy recovery: smart meters help U.S. rebound from power outages

How smart meters can fix the DST time ward

For me, the hardest thing about the end of Daylight Saving Time (Nov. 4 in the US) will be getting up in the morning. But for millions of electric meters, DST causes much bigger problems — because Congress has a tendency to tinker with DST.

DST and time-of-use rate periods are examples of “details” that can yield tremendous smart meter-related headaches if not handled properly…

Full post: Fixing the DST time warp

New rules in Brazil support smart meter rollouts

This summer Brazil’s energy regulator ANEEL released its specifications for smart meter deployment. Contrary to expectations, ANEEL did not mandate a general smart meter rollout. Rather, the agency defined a set of rules and norms to achieve certain objectives — and smart meters are essential to achieve three key goals…

Full post, by Alicia Carrasco: Brazil: New rules will support smart meter rollouts

NSW, Australia: Smart meters, time-of-use prices could aid demand response

In the southern hemisphere, summertime is approaching — so temperatures and peak energy demand soon will be soaring in Sydney and other parts of the Australian state of New South Wales. A new report from the NSW government’s Productivity Commission recommends several reforms that could help Australian utilities manage peak demand while rewarding consumers for aiding this effort…

Full post: Hot Australian summers? Government commission recommends smart meters, time-of-use prices

Smart grid advice: new NRDC paper

A new white paper from the the Natural Resources Defense Council shows how the smart grid can support large-scale clean energy and conservation benefits, and otherwise help the environment. This paper also addressed some smart grid concerns and offered some recommendations for smart grid implementation.

Full post: Smart Grid Advice from the Natural Resources Defense Council

Green Button now available to 36 million homes and businesses

This week the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy hosted an Energy Datapalooza to spotlight the many ways energy consumption data can help people use power more wisely. Green Button (the consensus-based, industry-developed energy data standard adopted by the North American Energy Standards Board) continues to make great progress on this front.

Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is capitalizing on Green Button — and several more utilities also have jumped on board…

Full post: Green Button access expands to 36 million homes and businesses