Itron and Silver Spring Networks Expand Agreement

Itron Inc. and Silver Spring Networks announced today that they have finalized an expanded agreement to integrate Itron’s CENTRON® II electricity meters, 100G gas ERT® modules and 100W water ERT® modules with Silver Spring’s Smart Energy Platform.

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies have addressed the technical, functional and solution delivery issues required to deliver a robust, multi-vendor advanced metering solution for gas, water and electricity providers. This further extends our existing agreement which provides for compatibility of the Itron CENTRON I electricity meter with the Silver Spring Smart Energy Platform.

Integration between the Itron modules and Silver Spring Smart Energy Platform is underway. Orders will soon be accepted for delivery in mid-2011.

For the complete article, please click here.

Parks Associates reports 28% of U.S. households looking to adopt electricity usage displays

Rising energy costs and economic conditions are motivating consumer interest in energy management solutions but also setting high expectations for these technologies, according to Parks Associates, which will host Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer on January 24-26, 2011, in Austin, Texas.

The conference agenda features the session "Solutions that Deliver on the Promise," January 25 at 11 a.m., with executives from ecobee, Oncor Electric Delivery Company, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory discussing business strategies that align with user needs and expectations.

Over one-fourth of U.S. consumers are very interested in an in-home display that shows their current electricity usage, with 90% willing to pay $90-$100 for this solution. However, this level of interest comes only if it can help save 10-30% off their electric bill. Our Residential Energy Management project is finding, behind the high overall interest in energy-saving solutions, consumers have very specific expectations that must be met before they adopt.

Confirmed speakers for "Solutions that Deliver on the Promise":
• Stuart Lombard, President and CEO, ecobee
• Bill Muston, Manager, Research & Development, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC
• Steve Widergren, Principal Engineer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Smart Energy Summit is the premier event examining business opportunities and technical challenges as smart grid technologies move into the home. The agenda features keynote speakers from IBM, Grid Net, and the U.S. Department of Commerce and includes interactive panels and presentations focused on strategies to demonstrate the value proposition of new energy management products, services, and standards.

ZigBee Smart Energy Makes Electric Outlets Smart

Energy Optimizers Limited (EOL) has launched a new ZigBee Smart Energy version of its existing plug-in electricity meter for the Canadian market that can help utilities and households understand better the load demand on the grid. The U.K. company’s device, called the plogg, allows utilities, home and building-owners to monitor how much electricity is being used by individual appliances and electronic devices so that energy efficiency across the grid can be improved. The plogg has gained approval to CSA C22.2 No 61010-1 for use in Canada.

The plogg is a combined smart meter plug and data logger, based on Ember’s EM357 ZigBee wireless technology running on a Telegesis module. It can be attached to any electrical appliance or device that uses a standard NEMA 5-15 15 Amp North American plug. The plogg stores the measured electricity data and wirelessly communicates this information through an Internet-linked Ethernet gateway. For instance, BC Hydro in Vancouver is using the plogg in trials designed to test demand side management (DSM) programs that provide accurate load data for the following residential end-uses: Appliance Loads, Standby Loads, Reactive Loads, Voltages.

For the complete article, please click here.

DOE Announces Report on Encouraging Homeowners to Invest in Energy Efficiency Improvements

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently released a report on how governments and industry can spark homeowners to seek out home energy improvements, or retrofits, which save energy and money for consumers.

Energy efficiency upgrades include energy saving improvements such as adding insulation, sealing air ducts, installing high-efficiency lighting, enhancing or replacing windows and doors, and replacing furnaces, heat pumps, water heaters, and air conditioners. Called "Driving Demand for Home Energy Improvements," this study will help ensure that the Department's investments in energy efficiency provide taxpayers with a high rate of return on their investments, deliver the maximum impact in local communities, and support a self-sustaining industry for residential energy efficiency improvements that will help grow America's economy and create new jobs.

The report concludes that success will require multifaceted approaches that acknowledge a deeper understanding of what motivates homeowners and what contractors are concerned about. Effective programs will tend to be tailored to the location, thoughtfully researched and piloted, personalized to the target audience, and more labor-intensive than simple incentive programs.

For the complete article, please click here.

OPower waiting to add devices to its portfolio

Tendril's purchase of GroundedPower does not change OPower's strategy with respect to entering the smart grid devices space,according to Ogi Kavazovic, OPower senior director for marketing & strategy. The Tendril-GroundedPower deal is gratifying in some ways, he said, noting OPower has been preaching for some time that energy data is not enough to engage consumers.

The acquisition of GroundedPower made public last week will let privately held Tendril offer more management services in the energy-efficiency space. Tendril currently focuses such efforts on real-time energy use displayed on websites and in-home displays. GroundedPower helps consumers set energy-efficiency goals and provides reports on individual and community participation.

For the complete article, please click here.

Honeywell UtilityPRO Becomes Fastest-Selling Demand Response Thermostat

Honeywell announced that UtilityPRO™ has become the fastest-selling thermostat for utility-sponsored demand response programs. Since the technology was introduced in 2008, Honeywell has shipped more than 350,000 of the touchscreen programmable thermostats, which give utilities control over peak consumption while helping homeowners cut energy costs.

Thirty-three utilities in the United States and Canada have already selected the thermostat for their demand response efforts. By 2011, Honeywell expects UtilityPRO will give these utilities combined control of more than 500 megawatts of peak energy use — equivalent to the generation capacity of approximately 10 gas-fired peaking plants.

Utilities and end users access UtilityPRO through a built-in communication module. In addition, utilities can communicate directly with customers by sending customized text messages — an industry first. Specifically, they can send information like weather forecasts, and updates on other efficiency and conservation programs.

For the full release, click here.

Tendril and Lockheed Martin Collaborate to Deliver Integrated Demand Response Solutions

Tendril, a leading energy management technology provider and Lockheed Martin announced they will be working to integrate Lockheed Martin's SEEload™ Demand Response Management solution with Tendril's energy management platform. The integrated solution provides a comprehensive demand-side management solution that gives consumers greater control over their energy consumption and enables utilities to deploy comprehensive, secure and standards-based demand response (DR) programs.

The integration enables utilities to deploy Open ADR-based (automated demand response) programs across their residential, commercial and industrial customers. Demand response is increasingly viewed as an essential way to meet growing demand, comply with peak load and emissions reduction targets, and help customers control energy costs.

Lockheed Martin's Smart Energy Enterprise Suite, or SEEsuite Smart Grid Command and Control™ applications gives utilities and system operators unprecedented insight into enterprise operations and control of their smart grid assets.

The Tendril platform helps energy service providers gain insight and control over their energy load by utilizing products and applications that communicate directly with a Utility's existing infrastructure, and subsequently provide customers with the information they need to make good energy management choices day to day.

For the complete article, please click here.

Toyota To Release a Smart Energy Management System in 2012

In an effort to enable its customer base to better control its energy consumption, Toyota recently announced that it is developing a smart center system that links homes, vehicles and electric power companies. The Japanese automaker will launch the smart grid initiative in 2012 when it rolls out its new line of plug-in hybrids.

The all-in-one energy management system will allow customers to use their television or mobile phone to monitor the amount of energy that is consumed by their home. Users can also check how much their hybrid vehicle has charged and how much power has been stored at their house.

Authorities with the auto giant expect the system will be able to reduce home energy consumption by as much as 75 percent, according to the Daily Tech. Unfortunately for consumers, Toyota will only launch the system in Japan for the time being, and consumers must own a brand-new plug-in Toyota to incorporate the system into their home.

For the full article, please click here.

HomePlug Powerline Alliance Becomes The Newest Sponsor Of The Smart Energy Summit 2011

Parks Associates welcome HomePlug Powerline Alliance, a company that enables and promotes rapid availability, adoption and implementation of cost effective, interoperable and standards-based home powerline networks and products, as the newest sponsor for the 2011 Smart Energy Summit in Austin.

Founded in 2000, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, Inc. is an industry-led initiative with 70 member companies that creates specifications and certification logo programs for using the power lines for reliable home networking and Smart Grid applications.

The Alliance accelerates worldwide adoption for HomePlug technology by collaborating with international standards organizations such as the IEEE and through market development and user education programs. Sponsor members include Atheros Communications (ATHR); Cisco (CSCO); Comcast (CMCSK); Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK); GE Energy, an affiliate of General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE); Gigle Networks; Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723); SPiDCOM Technologies; and STMicroelectronics (STM). Contributor members include Arkados (OTCBB: AKDS) and Corporate Systems Engineering.

For more information, visit www.homeplug.org.

We thank you for your continued support!

Climate Talk Alliance Joins 2011 Smart Energy Summit Supporter List

Parks Associates welcome Climate Talk Alliance, an organization of companies committed to developing a common communication infrastructure, to the newest list of supporters for the 2011 Smart Energy Summit in Austin.

The ClimateTalk Alliance is an organization of industry-leading companies who are committed to developing a common communication infrastructure for HVAC and Smart Energy devices and enabling the interoperability of diverse systems. The ClimateTalk Alliance has been formed as an ecosystem to drive collaboration on standards to address fragmentation in the HVAC Communications market and provide interoperability for applications in the Smart Energy arena.

The ClimateTalk Alliance is open to companies committed to providing long term interoperability of communicating devices that provide reduction in energy consumption while improving comfort and end user experience.

For more information, visit www.ClimateTalk.org.

We thank you for your continued support!

Landis+Gyr is Selected by CoServ Electric to Provide Advanced Metering and Smart Grid Technology for the Utility's eCoGrid Initiative

Landis+Gyr announced it has been selected by CoServ Electric to provide advanced metering and smart grid technology for the utility's eCoGrid initiative. CoServ Electric will deploy Landis+Gyr's Gridstream™ technology that supports advanced metering, distribution automation and personal energy management applications, and will bring two-way communications capabilities to the utility's more than 150,000 electric meters.

CoServ Electric is an electric cooperative that serves six North Texas counties. The utility plans to begin installing Gridstream RF advanced meters in March 2011, with an anticipated project completion date of 2013.

CoServ Electric currently offers a variety of resources to help members reduce energy usage, including free energy audits. Earlier this year, CoServ Electric accepted a $17.2 million grant from the Department of Energy to support the eCoGrid initiative.

Landis+Gyr's Gridstream RF technology uses a powerful radio mesh network to communicate with meters and distribution devices, such as monitors and switches. Gridstream devices use the Smart Energy Profile standard to communicate with smart appliances and in-home devices.This technology is currently being deployed to millions of residential and commercial sites across the United States. For more information, please click here.

Ambient Expands Smart Grid Deployments in Ohio

Ambient announced that it has ramped up manufacturing capacity to meet the increasing demand for its products. Ambient is positioned to meet the recent increase in purchase orders, currently totaling over 44,000, for the X-3100 smart grid nodes. The company continues to further increase capacity for additional anticipated orders.

Ambient's node is a key component in smart grid deployments that are intended to bring these benefits to over 750,000 consumers. To date, Ambient has shipped approximately 25,000 IP-based smart grid communications nodes (from previously received orders), with over 17,000 of these nodes deployed in multiple locations in the United States.

Having experienced more than four consecutive quarters of growth, the Company is continuing to add essential resources to enhance its smart grid communications portfolio of products and expand its customer base. Ambient designs, develops and markets Ambient Smart Grid communications technologies and equipment. Using open standards-based technologies along with in-depth industry experience, Ambient provides utilities with solutions for creating smart grid communication platforms and technologies.

For the complete press release, please click here.

Smart Energy Summit 2011 Dates Announced

The 2nd Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer will be held from January 24 - 26, 2011 in Austin Texas.

The Smart Energy Summit, hosted by Parks Associates, is the premier conference studying the market for residential energy management and Smart Grid technologies.

Stay tuned for more information.

Acceleration of smart grid and smart energy deployments

Ember announced it has reached a key milestone in its quest to become the world's foremost provider of ZigBee technology for smart meters and Home Area Network (HAN) products when it became the first company to ship more than 10 million ZigBee wireless chips. This milestone is reflected in the company's record revenues and sales bookings, making Ember well positioned for almost 300% annual revenue growth in 2010.

Ember's spectacular ramp has been driven by large-scale deployments of smart energy technologies by utilities, device manufacturers, and smart home products for applications in energy management and home security, monitoring and automation. Whether it's in-home displays for energy management such as those from Control4 or Tendril, or home awareness systems like uControl and AlertMe, or smart meters from leaders such as Landis+Gyr and Itron, chances are that the slew of ZigBee smart energy products hitting the market are Ember-enabled.

Across the world, billions are being invested in smart grid programs as part of grid modernization and carbon emission control measures and ZigBee has become the chosen low-power wireless standard for advanced metering and HANs.

Lockheed Martin Supports SES in 2010

Parks Associates welcomes Lockheed Martin as a Smart Energy Summit sponsor in 2010.

Lockheed Martin provides a comprehensive portfolio of renewable energy products, energy efficiency services, Smart Grid cyber security and grid management software solutions. Lockheed Martin’s Smart Energy Enterprise Suite, or SEEsuite™, of advanced grid management applications gives customers unprecedented insight into their enterprise operations and real-time command and control of their smart grid assets.

SEEsuite combines Lockheed Martin’s expertise in systems-of-systems integration, service oriented architectures, cyber security and mission-critical systems development with utility-specific functionality. SEEsuite helps customers dynamically manage load during times of grid stress or volatile market prices, integrate and balance load from distributed energy resources, increase situational awareness for advanced decision making, and manage distributed microgrids.

For more information about Lockheed Martin, please visit http://www.lockheedmartin.com/.

OpenFrame 7E MultiMedia Home Energy Management Device Achieves

OpenPeak Inc., a leading provider of VoIP multimedia touch-screen device and telephony systems, announced today that its OpenFrame® 7E VoIP multimedia home energy management and communications platform has achieved ZigBee Smart Energy Certification by the ZigBee® Alliance. The OpenFrame 7E uses the ZigBee Smart Energy home area network standard to help consumers improve their energy efficiency by giving them the tools to manage their energy consumption more precisely by using automation and near real-time information.

The device collects consumption and usage data from various meters and devices within each home. OpenFrame 7E then filters and aggregates the data to transmit only the required or most relevant information about usage patterns back to the utility to eliminate the overburden of transmitting all household consumption data. Additionally, the OpenPeak platform provides an application-driven system to enable the release new energy management services to customers. By leveraging OpenPeak's back-end services platform, a utility can roll out new or updated applications that could include renewable energy monitoring, electric vehicle charging, prepaid utility bills and more.

OpenPeak's world-class, end-to-end design, engineering and delivery system allows telecom and utility providers to deliver a rich, interactive media experience to customers with the convenience and comfort of a durable touch-screen interface, along with VoIP telephone, where applicable.

For the full press release, click here.