Energy management session featuring Verizon, Direct Energy, Reliant Energy, and PG&E at Smart Energy Summit 2011

Executives from Verizon, Direct Energy, Reliant Energy, and PG&E will examine the new competitive market for residential energy management in the special session "Energy as a Service" on January 25 at Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer.

Regulatory changes and technology advancements, including the proliferation of broadband, are adding a competitive dimension to the energy business. Electricity providers can supplement their power offerings with monitoring and management services, but other players, including communications service providers, are looking to enter the consumer energy management market. We predict adoption of non-utility residential energy management solutions, including systems from firms such as AlertMe, Control4, and HAI and services from providers such as Verizon and Comcast, will grow more quickly over the next five years.

Confirmed speakers for the "Energy as a Service" session:

• Eric Bruno, SVP, Consumer Product Management & Development, Verizon

• Christopher Deutschen, Senior Manager, Direct Energy

• Brent Hodges, Director, Smart Energy Partnerships, Reliant Energy

• Steve Malnight, VP, Integrated Demand Side Management, PG&E

Smart Energy Summit includes interactive panels and presentations focused on strategies for manufacturers, utilities, and other service providers to demonstrate the value proposition of new energy management products, services, and standards. The agenda includes keynote speakers from IBM, Grid Net, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

For more information, visit www.smartenergysummit2011.com .

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.

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GE Executive Reveals Promise of Energy Evolution for EU

The European Union can be a leader in the implementation of a 21st century energy infrastructure, according to the keynote address by GE’s Bob Gilligan at the IEEE Smart Grid World Forum in Brussels today. While outlining the challenges of growing electricity demand and its environmental impact, Gilligan showed how emerging energy solutions can enable Europe and the world to sustain and improve our energy-dependent lifestyles. The key, he said, is starting with a viable roadmap to guide measured improvement over the coming decades.

He sees tomorrow’s breakthroughs, like the European Union’s proposed “Energy Highways” for transporting remote wind and solar power to urban consumption centers, as an important element of an overall energy plan to meet our growing energy needs in a more sustainable way. We need clear government policy, with funding support, to drive the utility investments needed to assure reliable, clean power and improved energy efficiency from energy generation, through delivery, to consumption.

The European Parliament and Council’s 20/20/20 initiative to increase energy efficiency by 20 percent, produce 20 percent of its energy from renewable resources and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent is a positive demonstration of the region’s commitment to responsible energy leadership, Gilligan said. He called on governments and regulators at the national level to provide the leadership, incentives and accommodations needed for the transformation to a low-carbon economy.

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Burbank Water and Power Selects Tropos Wireless Mesh Network for Smart Grid Communications

Tropos Networks, the leader in high reliability outdoor wireless IP networks, was selected by Burbank Water and Power (BWP) as a key element in their Smart Grid network of networks. To improve service and empower its 51,000 electricity customers to use energy wisely, BWP is implementing comprehensive Smart Grid systems across the utility’s entire coverage area. Tropos’ GridCom® architecture will be used as the high performance wireless distribution area network, providing secure connectivity for multiple utility Smart Grid applications.

Key goals of the Smart Grid initiative include enabling customer energy efficiency and demand response, improving operational efficiencies, reducing CO2 emissions, supporting Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PEVs), and integrating renewable energy sources to meet California’s mandate of 33 percent renewable power by 2020.

Upcoming Smart Grid program phases include full AMI deployment to all customers, distribution automation, demand response, thermal energy storage systems at select customer sites, and new control systems. Several retail services are planned that utilize the Smart Grid to enable energy efficiency, demand management and other programs that will give customers greater information and control over energy usage. BWP does not expect to raise rates to fund the program; instead, it will cover costs with the SGIG, cost reductions related to operational efficiency improvements, and selling services utilizing excess capacity on its communication systems.

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Duke Energy and ITOCHU to Develop Strategies for Reusing Electric Vehicle Batteries

Duke Energy and Tokyo-based ITOCHU Corp. signed an agreement today to collaborate on advanced energy technologies, starting with the evaluation and testing of second-life applications for electric vehicle batteries.

According to some auto industry estimates, electric vehicle (EV) batteries that can no longer charge to approximately 80 percent of their original capacity may be candidates for replacement. Duke Energy and ITOCHU believe batteries that become unsuitable for use in EVs could live on in other applications. Reuse possibilities for these batteries include providing a supplemental home energy supply, storing renewable power and providing a fast-charging power source for EVs.

The companies will assess how EV batteries perform in their "second lives," including stationary applications in homes, neighborhoods and commercial buildings. This pilot project will help Duke Energy and ITOCHU validate potential business models for future commercialization. In addition, the companies believe increasing the total lifetime value of batteries through second-life applications could help reduce initial battery cost.

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Verizon Wireless Partnering With EPA's ENERGY STAR to Improve Energy Efficiency

Furthering its commitment to protecting the environment, Verizon Wireless has become an official ENERGY STAR® Partner. Through its voluntary partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Verizon Wireless will work to improve energy efficiency and fight global warming. Seventy-five Verizon Wireless Communications Stores have already earned the ENERGY STAR for superior energy performance.

In partnership with ENERGY STAR, Verizon Wireless will:

•Measure and track energy performance at hundreds of company Communications Stores, switching centers, cell sites and other facilities throughout the United States.

•Integrate ENERGY STAR resources into Verizon Wireless' energy management strategy.

•Spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to employees, partners and community members in the 49 states where Verizon Wireless operates.

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Motorola enters the connected home market through the acquisition of 4Home

Connected home platform developer 4Home was acquired by Motorola today (12/01/10). 4Home will now become a part of Motorola’s Mobility division; terms of the deal have not yet been announced.

4Home’s solutions include energy management, healthcare monitoring, home security monitoring and entertainment management. 4Home, a Sunnyvale, CA based company, was founded in 2005 and has been a regular participant at Parks Associates’ CONNECTIONS conference. To date the company has raised over $9 million in venture capital funding from Pond Ventures, Parker Price and Verizon Ventures.

Motorola is one of the leading Set-Top-Box (STB) brands and we predict that 4Home’s platform will be embedded on their (Motorola’s) STBs enhancing the company’s offering. We expect more details on the deal to be available soon.

In our opinion this is another great example of a market mover, such as Motorola, building the foundation for the connected home systems and services market to blossom. We have repeatedly stated that there are multiple paths to the connected home. 4Home developed a robust platform and Motorola is well-positioned to deploy it. Other recent examples of companies with market clout getting behind the connected home solutions include cable MSOs Comcast and Rogers, both deploying services based on the iControl/uControl (a recent merger) platform(s).

The bottom line for industry participants is that these firms, and others we expect to hear from shortly, will build awareness of the capabilities monitoring and control technologies can add to consumers’ lifestyles. 2011 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the connected home systems and services market. So much so, that we are formulating a new market intelligence program aimed at characterizing and quantifying opportunities in this arena for manufacturers, service providers, utilities, retailers and a host of technology enablers. Stay tuned.