UK: smart meters save energy through learning and action

Last week, at a London meeting on smart metering and consumer empowerment, a top official from the new U.K. Energy Efficiency Deployment Office said that smart metering is “one of the most efficient energy efficiency measures — and it pays for itself.”

This mirrors my belief that learning and acting should be recognized as energy efficiency, because they drive change that reduces energy waste…

Full post by Alicia Carrasco: Smart meters: How learning and acting save energy

Smarter energy markets for the UK

It’s not just meters and power grids that are getting smarter. U.K. energy regulator Ofgem is advancing plans to make energy markets in that nation “smarter” — that is: more efficient and yielding better consumer outcomes. Smarter energy markets also would provide consumers with ready access to an abundance of easily digestible information about their energy use, plus time-varying pricing options and automation to help them actively engage as market players.

This week Ofgem published its Promoting Smarter Energy Markets work program. This follows the agency’s earlier consultation on this topic, which drew 34 responses — including a response from eMeter…

Full post, by Alicia Carrasco: UK moves to make energy markets smarter

London Olympics: Monitoring energy consumption

The Summer Olympics in London are said to be the greenest olympics ever. A website by the U.K. utility EDF Energy, Power the Games Live, compares electricity consumption at Olympic facilities, such as the Velodrome, to some of London’s best known landmarks, such as theTower Bridge.

Here’s how this site works…

Full post, by Alicia Carrasco: Monitoring energy consumption at the London Olympics

How smart meters simplify the language of energy

British Gas has a “plain English” campaign to help business customers understand their energy contracts and bills. The website, Making Business Energy Simple, covers the basics of energy and energy costs as well as savings tips.

Prior to launching this site, British Gas commissioned a research study involving over 1000 small and medium businesses, to identify energy jargon that these customers commonly find confusing…

Full post by Alicia Carrasco: Smart meters simplify the language of energy

From London to New York: How sustainable cities can engage citizens

London offers huge potential to become a truly sustainable city — thanks to smart meters, decentralized energy production, and smart people.

I live in London, and am pleased that there are initiatives here which recognize and promote the deployment of smart meters for electricity (and hopefully, soon, water). These efforts note the benefits that smart meters can provide — such as helping people save energy, water and money as well as increasing the use of renewable resources.

I read about several of these efforts in the first quarterly newsletter of the Low Carbon London project, which launched six months ago…

Full post, by Alicia Carrasco: How sustainable cities can engage citizens: from London to New York

Progress report on first year of UK Smart Grid Forum

This week U.K. energy regulator Ofgem published a progress report on its Smart Grid Forum, which discusses the forum’s structure and what it might yield in coming months.

The SGF launched nearly a year ago to provide leadership and expertise on smart metering and the smart grid to Ofgem and the U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change.

So far, the SGF has organized five working groups, produced a smart grid evaluation report, and laid the foundation for further work.

Here’s what the five working groups are focusing on…

Full post, by Alicia Carrasco: U.K. Smart Grid Forum: Progress report on the first year

New UK Energy Efficiency Deployment Office

The brand-new U.K. Energy and Climate Secretary, Ed Davey, is starting his tenure with a major announcement: the launch of the Energy Efficiency Deployment Office (EEDO). Here’s what it will do…

Full post by Alicia Carrasco: U.K. launches Energy Efficiency Deployment Office

Engaging consumers with energy info: better language, design, and layout needed

Energy usage and tariff information generally isn’t easy to understand. To get input on how to solve this problem, U.K. energy regulator Ofgem has been conducting workshops with consumers across Great Britain. The new Consumer First Panel Report lists suggestions from consumers to help them better understand and engage with the electricity and gas market…

Full post: Consumers want better language, design, and layout for energy information

UK smart meter preparations: new report

Today the U.K. government’s Public Account Committee released a report on that nation’s preparations for the rollout of smart meters.

Here are this report’s six conclusions and recommendations, and our analysis of each…

Full post by Alicia Carrasco: Report: UK smart meter preparations

Renewable energy: disruptive technology

I’m sitting in a café on the Champs d’Elysees amid the electric atmosphere of streetlights, neon signs, cars, trucks, shoppers, gawkers, storekeepers, and restaurateurs — an abundance of energy.

Energy has driven the development of modern civilization and conveniences. And renewable energy supplies are growing fast. But like any disruptive technology, the growing flocks of wind turbines and expanding acres of solar-equipped rooftops around the world are causing temporary growing pains for the energy industry.

Fortunately, these “problems” are really opportunities. And utilities like TXU Energy in Texas are pioneering solutions…

Full post: How renewable energy is a disruptive technology