All You Need to Know
Picturing utilities in a series of sobering snapshots.
Utilities are growing rate base despite static or declining demand: making customers pay more for a product they want less of.
Smart meter
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Selects Elster AMI
Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-10-17 14:07Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) selected the EnergyAxis advanced metering infrastructure and EIServer meter data management systems from Elster Solutions for the first phase of their smart meter deployment. EnergyAxis enables meter data collection, analysis, reporting, and network management for all three services using a single head-end system. This simplifies system management, and reduces the total cost of ownership.
Echelon, Kapsch Secure New Austrian Smart Meter Pilots
Submitted by aburr on Thu, 2013-10-17 14:00Echelon and its partner Kapsch Smart Energy won several key pilots with leading Austrian utilities Wien Energie, IKB and Steiermark. The pilots are being prompted by a new energy edict in Austria that requires utilities to achieve specific grid modernization goals by 2019. The Echelon NES platform is operating as a fully integrated solution with the Kapsch smart energy management meter data management software.
Profit and the New Normal
Delivering value in a zero-growth market.
Disruptive technologies and resource shifts are changing the utility business model. Market factors are driving companies toward four possible paths.
Smart Grid at a Crossroads
Refining the business case for advanced distribution investments.
As utilities plan their capital budgets for the next few years, investments in advanced distribution systems face an uncertain future. Customers question the value—and propriety—of some programs, while long-term strategic goals depend on seamless integration. What will be the path forward for smart grid technology?
The Social Utility
Mastering multi-channel communications for customer service success.
Utilities across the country are experimenting with various new ways to communicate with customers—from Twitter feeds to text alerts. But few utilities have figured out how to integrate new media channels into a coherent customer engagement approach. A multi-tiered strategy will best serve the needs of customers—and the utility.
Tools, Platforms and Ecosystems
Can a disruptive technology change the electric customer experience?
North American energy utilities are investing billions to create a smart grid to enhance service for retail electric customers. The smart grid, a disruptive technology, will provide utilities and customers with access to information about how electricity is used that they’ve never had in the past. More importantly this information can empower customers to take ownership of their consumption profile and demand different products and services.
Opting Out
Providing reasonable options for customers who object to smart meters.
Customers in some markets are demanding the right to opt out of smart meter deployments. Their concerns involve radio frequency (RF) emissions and potential privacy breaches. Whether these concerns are valid or not, some regulators are requiring options for customers who don’t want smart meters. The right approach can satisfy concerns without undue costs and complexities.
Securing Tomorrow's Grid (Part I)
Protecting smart systems against cyber threats.
Smart grid technologies bring a host of cyber security considerations that need to be addressed throughout the T&D domain—and even into the customer’s home. In this exclusive report, Department of Energy authors team up with industry experts to examine how to deal with the changes and challenges of securing the smart grid.
The Transformation Myth
Telecom-style revolution is beyond our reach.
In the information age, big growth doesn’t come from putting steel in the ground; it comes from innovating and creating value. But if electricity customers care only about reliability and price, how can utilities create real value that didn’t exist before?