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Welcome to the Smart Grid Blog — where you get all the latest news and perspectives for your industry. Read, comment and rate posts written by our analysts. And be sure to subscribe (by clicking on the e-mail icon in the upper right hand corner), so you can keep up with new content and comments easily.

Recent Blog Entries

  • Vendors Vie For Smart Grid Integration Platform Market2100%
    Entry posted Aug 26 by Rick Nicholson , tagged Distributed Energy, North America, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    Vendors Vie For Smart Grid Integration Platform Market

    In the enterprise IT world the concept of an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) is well established as a means to integrate applications and automate business processes in a service oriented architecture (SOA).  An ESB does this by handling the orchestration of service requests across participating systems.  This is a market dominated by the likes of IBM, Oracle, Software AG and TIBCO.  While familiar to most utility IT staff, this concept is just emerging in the smart grid market.  Recent research by IDC Energy Insights into the technology stack required to support virtual power plants has pointed out the importance of an ESB equivalent for integrating distributed energy resources, intelligent devices and smart grid applications in real-time.

  • CSC Catches Bass
    Entry posted Aug 16 by Jill Feblowitz , tagged Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, North America, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Sustainability, Utility Industry
    CSC Catches Bass

    Ever since I have been covering information technology in the utility industry, CSC has been one professional service firm that has served the utility industry.  About 10 years ago, the involvement was mostly in commodity areas.  Through the years, CSC has built experience and expertise in IT specific to the industry in areas such as customer service and transmission and distribution.  With the acquisition of Bass & Company, CSC is demonstrating their commitment to the industry by expanding its utility subject matter expertise.  This addition is a plus for utilities, as it increases their options.

  • Generation Assets for Sale - Trend or Aberration?1
    Entry posted Aug 10 by Jill Feblowitz , tagged North America, Utility Industry
    Generation Assets for Sale - Trend or Aberration?

    It may be low price, but it seems that the pace has picked up for acquisition of generating assets from merchant generators. According to an SNL Energy article, Q2'10 power plant M&A update, August 3, by Jesse Gilbert, "The total capacity of plants announced in deals in the first half of 2010 totaled 58,708 MW, surpassing the full-year total of 56,398 MW announced in 2009."  Today, one more deal was added to the mix.  Constellation Energy announced that it signed an agreement to purchase Boston Generating's New England fleet for approximately $372/MW.  For regulated utilities, the acquisition of generation is seen as one way to reach growth, especially if they are constrained by regulators in the pursuit of rate increases.  But what does it take to make good on the promise of growth?

  • Western European Utilities IT spending to reach $10 billion...
    Entry posted Jul 28 by Roberta Bigliani , tagged EMEA, IT Spending, Utility Industry
    Western European Utilities IT spending to reach $10 billion in 2014

    We are publishing tomorrow our latest IT Spending Forecast report, which covers the market sizing and forecast estimates for the utilities industry in Western Europe in the 2009–2014 timeframe. We would like to give you a preview on some of the highlights:

  • My Home Energy Monitor: Part 3 (So Now What?)3
    Entry posted Jul 15 by Rick Nicholson , tagged Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, North America, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    My Home Energy Monitor: Part 3 (So Now What?)

    I just returned from vacation and my home energy monitor is still working - collecting and displaying my home's energy consumption and cost data.  At least the thing's reliable.  I still can't use Google PowerMeter effectively (see my previous blog post) and that issue won't be addressed until next month when my web bridge device arrives in the mail.  So what do I do now?

  • Selling the Value of Smart Metering – Communication,...
    Entry posted Jul 15 by Jill Feblowitz , tagged Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    Selling the Value of Smart Metering – Communication, Communication, Communication

    J.D. Powers just released its 2010 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study and notably, utilities are doing better.  According to the survey of 85,000 customers, bills have reduced by 5% and reported outages by 8%.  Communication seems to be the key according to study, as customers with outages are much more satisfied when the utility communicates well about status of restoration.  Surprisingly, though, only one in six customers are aware of their utilities smart grid efforts.  With those who are aware, overall satisfaction increases.  So perhaps utilities need to take the lessons they have learned about communication on outages and other issues and apply those to smart grid awareness.

  • I am a Model of the Modern Home Energy Management System2
    Entry posted Jul 9 by Jill Feblowitz , tagged Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, Utility Industry
    I am a Model of the Modern Home Energy Management System

    Marcus, Rick, Sam, Jay and I got together one day to name all the vendors now supplying home energy management systems.  Seems like home energy management is to the residential consumer, as Starbucks was at one time to the coffee consumer.  Lots of products are out there to help the utility provide energy efficiency and demand response opportunities to their customers.  So we decided to put together a little ditty, to the tune of "I Am A Model of the Modern Major General" for your summer entertainment.

    In Home Display

  • Electric Vehicles and Business Models: Updates from Italy5
    Entry posted Jul 1 by Roberta Bigliani , tagged Electric Vehicles, EMEA, Sustainability, Utility Industry
    Electric Vehicles and Business Models: Updates from Italy

    We just issued a new Perspective covering pilot initiatives on Plug-in Electric Vehicles. Our major focus is an update on what is happening in Italy, also leveraging the results of the roundtable discussion I chaired at the end of May during IDC Energy Insights' Energy & Utilities 2010 Forum. Part of the discussion was around business models.

  • Beyond the Smart Meter: Existing Back Office IT Can Help to...1
    Entry posted Jun 30 by Jill Feblowitz , tagged Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    Beyond the Smart Meter: Existing Back Office IT Can Help to Reduce Consumption

    ACEE just released a study concluding that smart grid technology in itself is not enough to lower energy consumption.  The premise is that customers need to be presented information that will help them take actions to reduce consumption.  Recommendations were for online or in-home displays of consumption and benchmarking with customers in their neighborhood.  It is true that there is currently limited deployment of in-home displays.  In a study we conducted in the fall of 2009, IDC Energy Insights found that only 6.6% of utilities were deploying in-home displays.  Another 14% were piloting these devices.  Utilities are, however, taking steps to present consumption data to their customers.  Take for example, Austin Energy, which made a commitment to display data one of their top priorities.   So, we agree that it requires people and process, but there are other pieces of technology that utilities should be integrating to make real reducations happen.

  • Nuclear Power Expansion Almost There for Southern Company
    Entry posted Jun 21 by Jill Feblowitz , tagged Utility Industry
    Nuclear Power Expansion Almost There for Southern Company

    Southern Company is on the road to expanding its nuclear fleet with a loan guarantee from the federal government. The plan is to build two additional units at an existing site in new Waynesville, Georgia.   According to SNL Energy, "Total guaranteed borrowings would not exceed 70 percent of the company's eligible projected costs, or approximately $3.4 billion, and are expected to be funded by the Federal Financing Bank. Any guaranteed borrowings would be full recourse to Georgia Power and secured by a first priority lien on the company's 45.7 percent ownership interest in the two new units."  New nuclear projects depend on loan guarantees, given their high cost and the risk of the project not making it through to operating licensing.  Utilities with nuclear generation, or any new plant construction, will want to watch this project. 

  • My Home Energy Monitor: Part 2 (You've Got...2
    Entry posted Jun 18 by Rick Nicholson , tagged Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, North America, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    My Home Energy Monitor: Part 2 (You've Got Data!)

    Well sort of...  My home energy monitor has now been dutifully collecting data once every twelve seconds for a week now.  The display tells me how much energy I'm currently using (2.84 kW at this exact moment), how much it's costing me ($8.14/day), and how much I've used in the last day, week and month.  For instance I've used 25 kWh in the last day and 200 kWh in the last week.  Not bad.  But what I'd really like is some more sophisticated graphing and analytics.

  • Smart Grid Technology Investment Exceeds $1.8B Year to Date1100%
    Entry posted Jun 15 by Rick Nicholson , tagged Distributed Energy, Electric Vehicles, Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, North America, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    Smart Grid Technology Investment Exceeds $1.8B Year to Date

    From January to May 2010 there were 30 publicly announced smart grid investment deals in the United States and Canada totaling over $1.8 billion.  Technology types included application software (typically used by utilities for customer care and billing, meter data management, distribution management, etc.), communications, energy efficiency and demand response (including hardware and software to provide consumers with energy management capabilities), grid connected energy storage, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Types of investments included acquisitions, debt, equity, and government grants.

  • Will you ENVI me (and my home energy monitor)?
    Entry posted Jun 11 by Rick Nicholson , tagged Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, North America, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    Will you ENVI me (and my home energy monitor)?

    I don't have a smart meter and probably never will.  My utility just built a new coal-fired power plant and regularly sends me bill inserts trying to disprove global warming theories and convince me that carbon cap-and-trade will destroy our economy (I'm not making this up).  The point here is that my utility will also never provide me with any home energy management technology.  As a result, I just bought and installed an ENVI home energy monitor.  The product was developed by Current Cost in the U.K. which claims to be the largest provider of in-home displays with over 1 million units sold.  The product is distributed in the U.S. by PowerSave.  I chose it because it doesn't require a smart meter - it collects data through two CT clamps that you attach to your home's main cables - and because Current Cost is a Google PowerMeter partner.  Over the next few months I will be chronicling my experience with my new home energy management technology.

    Please note that THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL PRODUCT EVALUATION OR ENDORSEMENT.  It's simply my personal experience.

  • Quick Take on EPA's New Regulations on GHG
    Entry posted May 14 by Jill Feblowitz , tagged Carbon Management and Trading, Oil & Gas Industry, Utility Industry
    Quick Take on EPA's New Regulations on GHG

    EPA's final rule on GHG emissions issued on May 13 impacts high emitters of greenhouse gas (GHG) power generation and oil refining.  The rule establishes permitting requirements for new or substantially modified emitting facilities on greenhouse gases (GHG).   My quick take is companies will need to re-examine their engineering and design, document management, and environmental, health and safety (EHS) applications.

    .  . 

  • ABB Acquires Ventyx - Accelerating IT and OT Convergence
    Entry posted May 6 by Rick Nicholson , tagged Asia Pacific, Carbon Management and Trading, Distributed Energy, EMEA, Energy Efficiency/Demand Response, North America, Renewable Energy, Smart Grid/Smart Metering, Utility Industry
    ABB Acquires Ventyx - Accelerating IT and OT Convergence

    The utility industry has been talking about the fact that lines are blurring between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) for the last few years and especially since the smart grid has taken off.  Now ABB is accelerating that convergence in its acquisition of Ventyx.  Most immediately, the deal will provide some cross selling opportunities for ABB to further extend its penetration into North America and for Ventyx products to move faster into markets outside of North America.  The promise of the acquisition long term is that it will support the new energy economy vision which includes integration of renewable generation, demand response, and distributed energy resources into the grid.  Whether the company will succeed in that endeavor will depend on how well ABB can combine real-time systems with transactional applications.

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