Look beyond meter-to-cash for smart metering benefits

Meter-to-cash (M2C) is one of the most common business justifications for deploying smart meters and meter data management (MDM) platforms. But MDM is much more than just M2C. MDM can comprise several strategies that help utilities increase revenues and reduce costs, not just through the billing system.

Full post: Meter-to-cash: What it is, and why it’s only the starting point for smart meter benefits

Positive business case for smart meters in Northern Ireland

Congratulations to Northern Ireland, which has joined the club of over 30 states and countries with positive business cases for smart meters.

Recently the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment released the region’s smart meter cost-benefit analysis. Implementing smart meters for the nearly 1 million electricity customers there is expected to yield net savings of up to £56 million ($87 million at the current exchange rate).

Full post, by Alicia Carrasco: Northern Ireland’s positive business case for smart meters

Building a smart meter business case

Utility regulators tend to put investments in newer technologies such as smart meters (or advanced metering infrastructure) under a microscope — even though they pay relatively little attention to ongoing investments such as substations and transformers. Fortunately, policymakers in over 30 states and countries have already found that the benefits of smart meters have exceeded the costs.

Here’s what you need to know about building a business case for smart meters.

Full post: Building a business case for smart meters

Home energy management networks: how should they be controlled?

Realizing full benefits from a smart grid ultimately means controlling devices in customers’ homes, businesses, and other facilities. But who should exercise that control, and how?

My esteemed colleague, Harvey Michaels, stays young by examining the questions raised by how technology is transforming the energy industry. He teaches an energy efficiency course to eager students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A recent paper he co-authored with Kat Donnelly considers these questions:

• Should utilities provide dynamic pricing or control customer systems directly?
• Should utilities be required to give customers access to their detailed energy usage data?
• Should consumers be allowed the option of sending their energy data to web applications, third parties, or community initiatives?

Full post: How should home energy management networks be controlled?

The smart grid is making fewer headlines but lots of progress

Recently some industry analysts have asked me about smart grid industry momentum. Are things slowing down? Are utilities giving up on the smart grid and smart meters? Jesse Berst asks: are utilities retreating?

My answer: No! Instead, what’s happening is that the smart grid is becoming business as usual. Announcements must now clear much a higher bar to be considered newsworthy. And meanwhile, widespread progress is advancing across the U.S…

Full post: Smart grid: Making fewer headlines, but lots of progress

Analytics, not just data, deliver business value from home area networks

This week I was in the French city of Nice, attending an industry conference. But my presentation focused on Texas — specifically, how utilities there are enhancing their business by being smart about what they do with consumer energy data…

My talk was about combining information communication technology (ICT) and home area networks (HAN) for business advantage in the emerging field of sustainable homes.

My main point: What retailers do with consumer energy data makes all the difference for how well that data builds their business…

Full post by Alicia Carrasco: Home area networks: analytics, not just data, deliver business value

Smart meters: Brazil is different, and important

A bossa nova version of the Doors’ Light My Fire was playing in the auditorium at Metering Latin America as I prepared to deliver my keynote speech on global utility regulation.

This song fit the mood in Brazil regarding smart meters: excitement, enthusiasm and anticipation…

Full post, and presentation slides: Smart meters: Why Brazil is different

$3 billion smart grid plan from SDG&E

By July 1, California’s three major utilities are required by law to file smart grid deployment plans with the CPUC. On June 6 SDG&E filed its plan.

Here are some of the highlights from that plan…

Full post: SDG&E files $3 billion smart grid plan

Smart meters and the Magna Carta

In the year 1215, a group of English barons forced King John to accept the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was revolutionary; it was the first time the king agreed to something less than absolute power. As an example, King John agreed to the then-radical concept that no freeman could be punished except through the law of the land.

What’s the connection to smart meters? Today’s radical concept is that energy consumers should have the right to decide for themselves whether they would rather save money by shifting some load off-peak, or pay more and not worry about when they use energy…

Full story: The Magna Carta and smart meters

Why consumers will benefit most from the smart grid

Yesterday, I spoke at SmartTalk roundtable event hosted by cPower that sought to answer these questions: “The smart grid is high-tech. To what extent will the build be mass-scale utility roll-out. Also, to what extent will consumers finance the upgrades with ‘free choice’ purchases?” Here is a summary of the key points I discussed.

Full story: Why consumers will reap the most smart grid benefits (audio)