Do utilities know what their customers really want?
Electric utilities are not famous for being in touch with their customers. In fact, until recently, utilities referred to customers as ratepayers — a functional term, sure, but not exactly consumer-friendly. But as utility monopolies…
The future of Google’s Nest
Even before Google acquired Nest for $3.2 billion, the maker of the Learning Thermostat was a name brand. By taking its instantly recognizable, smart energy-saving device directly into the homes of countless Americans, Nest performed…
ADR extending reach into smarter grid
Demand response (DR) is becoming a growing part of the resource base that electric system operators rely on to maintain reliability on the grid. Automated demand response (ADR), which automates the DR dispatch process without…
Distributed energy threatening utilities
The rise in distributed energy in the United States threatens the business model upon which the power and utility sector has been built, according to Ernst & Young (EY). The power and utility industry must…
Google, SunPower announce joint renewable energy financing deal
Pair teams up to finance $250 million in residential solar lease projects According to the agreement, Google will commit up to $100 million, with SunPower committing approximately $150 million. Thousands of homeowners are expected to…
The Language of Smart City, part II
As in all Utopias, the right to have plans of any significance belonged only to the planner in charge. Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) Illustration: Oliver Munday In a…
A Short History of Waste to Energy
This reports takes us on a journey back through time to discover how our need for energy and the importance of managing our waste have become intrinsically linked. The report focuses on: The concise history…
The Language of Smart City, part I
We want our tools to sing of not just productivity but of our love of curiosity, the joy of wonderment, and the freshness of the unknown. —Eric Paulos, “Manifesto of Open Disruption and Participation” Illustration:…
