Gas and electric utilities around the country are busy building the “smart grid,” with the enthusiastic support of the federal government.
The smart grid, which leverages emerging technologies like smart meters, sensors, and data analytics, is designed to enable more efficient delivery of energy services to consumers and businesses, more efficient use of that energy, and more efficient business processes for utilities.
This new grid will replace an aging power infrastructure that’s in need of an overhaul. The Obama administration recently announced $3.4 billion in smart grid funding from the federal stimulus package, which energy providers will use to deploy such things as smart meters, digital transformers, and automated power monitoring and management systems.
The Internet is playing a critical role in the realization of the smart grid. How effectively gas and electric companies use the Web to deliver their newly emerging services will have an impact on how successful they are in this transforming industry.
Some examples of the efforts underway to build the smart grid, and the Internet’s role in these endeavors, are as follows:
Xcel Energy, an energy solution supplier, recently launched SmartGridCity, which Xcel claims is the world’s first fully functioning smart grid enabled city, in Boulder, Colo. SmartGridCity allows Xcel to more effectively detect power outages, predict equipment failures, and repair systems before outages happen.
Before the year is out, Xcel expects to launch an in-home, energy-management Web portal that will provide all Boulder customers that have smart meters with the ability to review their in-home energy use. The service will let these customers design and personalize their energy consumption.
Another company, TXU Energy Retail, which is also working on smart grid efforts such as deploying smart meters that allow customers to control appliances via the Internet and a ZigBee-based home area network, offers a Web-enabled tool called iThermostat. The device helps customers better control energy-hungry appliances like air conditioners. Users can monitor daily cooling and heating costs and are alerted via email with customized energy tips and estimated energy costs.
Technologies like ZigBee and broadband Internet allow TXU to gain more visibility into what customers need, says CIO Kevin Chase.
And at utility Atmos Energy, Internet technology is playing a big part in the effort to better serve customers. The company has built a wiki that includes a host of information about Atmos services as well as rules and regulations about billing and payments for each of the 12 states that Atmos serves.
Customer support agents access the wiki to provide fast responses to customers when they contact the call center for help, says Rich Gius, vice president and CIO. Atmos employees can also use the tool to stay abreast of the latest changes in state regulations and Atmos services. In addition to the wiki, Atmos uses instant messaging and electronic conference rooms for employee collaboration.
These are just a few examples. And the utilities industry in general provides a good example of how the Internet and related technologies can help transform the way companies do business and provide services to their customers.
— Bob Violino is a freelance writer, editor, and project manager who has covered business and technology for more than 20 years.
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