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

Congressman Markey’s Surprise Appearance at Demand Response Town Meeting

To the surprise and delight of the audience at the Demand Response National Town Meeting in Washington DC last week, Congressman Ed Markey took a break from his CNN appearances about the Gulf oil spill to make an unscheduled address to the delegates.

He noted the great progress made by the demand response community in establishing a vibrant industry. Then he described his expansive vision for the smart grid and smart meters.

He began by noting that over the last 50 years, there’s been a dramatic contrast in the US: our overall economy has experienced abundant innovation, but progress on our power grid has been nearly nonexistent.

Full story: Congressman Markey Crashes Demand Response Town Meeting