One of the many benefits of living in Silicon Valley is the proximity to innovation – game changing technologies or service models, creative people, and exciting new businesses. Some people call it the world capital for innovation, which is an exaggeration, but not by much. I’m an Executive in Residence at a technology incubator in…
The integration of renewable energy sources like wind and solar into the nation’s electricity supply is an important Smart Grid capability. Solar and wind are intermittent energy sources that need energy storage to guarantee electricity when needed, but the sun will continue to shine, and the wind continue to blow, regardless of politics. Increased electricity…
It’s Valentine’s Day, and here are a few special wishes I’m sending: A Thinking of You to my electric utility, and to all the hardworking employees there who work so diligently to ensure my ongoing reliable and safe delivery of electricity in spite of an aging infrastructure. I do appreciate the great service you provide. …
Distributech 2011 showed that the Smart Grid is big, and getting bigger. With over 8000 attendees and 400 exhibitors, there was plenty of buzz about distribution automation, partnerships, and the last link in the value chain – the consumer. Many exhibitors featured their own or partnered Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) solutions aimed at helping…
Consumer privacy concerns are an important focus of many Smart Grid conversations. Everyone agrees that consumers need to be educated about the entirely new types of energy use data that can be created with Smart Grid technologies. While we must ensure that consumers are aware of their rights and responsibilities regarding energy use data, there is…
The Smart Grid offers ample opportunities to introduce disruptive technologies and disruptive thinking into the electricity supply chain. Indeed, disruptive technologies and services that enable electricity production at the point of consumption or close to the point of consumption are prime examples of how the entire value chain for electricity may alter in the next…
Silicon Valley loves buzz words almost as much as new technology. Entrepreneurs must have “disruptive technologies” to attract funding from venture capital firms. The migration to a Smart Grid needs disruptive technologies that will range from new materials that increase energy intensity in renewable energies to new forms of energy storage. But more than that,…
The recent spate of announcements about smart appliances at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) shows that we still have much to learn about the really important enhancements that matter for intelligent energy use. Enabling selected devices to be “grid-aware”, that is, capable of receiving price signals from utilities, has some value in areas where dynamic…
Did you make a New Year’s resolution to clean up your email, update your Facebook or LinkedIn sites, or organize your desk? I’m pleased to say that I’ve already crossed one resolution off my list and reduced my email inbox contents by 50%. The greater challenge will be to maintain this orderly inbox state. We…
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) recently initiated rule making for the state’s cap and trade regulation as part of AB 32, and it’s an important tactic towards reducing California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first step to reduce the state’s GHG emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020, and then an additional 80% reduction…