Yesterday, General Electric unveiled a project at its research labs that will let homeowners cut annual energy consumption to zero by 2015. Read the article on CNet.
Sounds a lot like IBM's Smart Energy messaging. See the fun video or landing page.
So which companies will be involved and how will this roll out? CNET's Green Tech blog post explains what a 'Smart grid' is, the benefits and the barriers to adoption. From the article:
"Who are the companies participating in the smart grid?
The smart grid is shaping up to be a giant mash-up of the electricity utility, computing, and communications industries.
"Heavyweight tech companies--Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and Google--all have serious initiatives in this area and loom large among utility executives working on smart-grid programs.
"IBM, which sees big dollar signs when it gets involved in large infrastructure projects, is building the technology backbone for many grid modernization programs. That includes installing communications equipment along the grid as well as the software and servers to process the mountains of data that need to be processed.
"Cisco, too, is jumping in with both feet with a broad initiative to supply networking equipment for utilities as well as in-home energy management tools. Verizon is looking at this as well, seeing the home network as a point to gather data on home energy use and, potentially, control lighting and appliances for better efficiency.
"Microsoft and Google are going after consumers as well while trying to sign on utility partners.
"The other key players are the host of start-ups in the area, many of which focus on energy displays. A handful of stronger network-oriented companies are emerging, notably Silver Spring Networks, which offers a wireless card that goes into smart meters.
"Finally, there's the electrical infrastructure itself: meters, transformers, transmission equipment, and other hardware that makes the grid tick. In addition to a number of smart meter makers, there are the global infrastructure companies like GE, Siemens, and ABB that are introducing modern control systems to manage the flow of electricity."
Lets hope these companies play nicely to overcome the technology challenges. There are plenty of other barriers to adoption, including consumer acceptance, government support and investment. Will be an interesting area to watch.
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