About Social Media Today
How a Smart Grid Can Improve Efficiency - If Consumers Play Along
Live Webcast May 3, 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT
Most traditional systems for distributing electricity are severely limited by a mismatch between available power and fluctuating consumer demand for power. Often, this results in wasted energy during light load times, and insufficient power during peak times—in the worst cases, leading to brownouts and blackouts.
This inefficiency is driving many utilities and energy companies to develop more intelligent distribution solutions, known collectively as the Smart Grid. In particular, so-called Demand Response technology is designed to help utilities and consumers use power more efficiently. Demand Response solutions also promise better integration of intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
Implementing Demand Response requires substantial technology investment and infrastructure changes, and also the willing participation of power consumers. Join The Energy Collective to explore key challenges and opportunities for Demand Response solutions:
- What will motivate consumers to adopt Smart Grid technology and use power more efficiently? What are the challenges to adoption?
- Does Demand Response give more control to consumers, or utilities?
- How can a Smart Grid reduce power use at peak times?
- What use is the data that a Smart Grid collects?
- Are there privacy and regulatory concerns that utilities need to address?
Patty Durand is the Executive Director for the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative, a consumer focused non-profit aiming to promote the understanding and benefits of modernized electrical systems. Pattyhas previously conducted smart grid research at Georgia Institute of Technology, and served as the State Director for the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club. Patty has an IT background and worked on B2B projects with Hewlett Packard and Compaq Computers. She currently serves on the board of the Smart Grid Society for the Technology Association of Georgia.
Lisa V. Wood is the Executive Director of the Institute for Electric Efficiency, which works with the electric utility industry to advance energy efficiency, demand response, and customer-side technologies. Lisa launched IEE after more than two decades of consulting with electric utilities on retail customer issues. In that role, she directed economic, financial, and market analysis studies for leading electric utilities nationwide, with an emphasis on energy efficiency, dynamic pricing, and value of electric service reliability. She also serves as an Advisor to Johnson Controls’ Institute for Building Efficiency and is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University.
Sachin Gupta is the business development manager for Siemens' demand response solutions at Siemens Energy, Inc., Smart Grid Applications in Raleigh, NC. Gupta received a BS in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University. His prior experience includes large solution sales, marketing and research positions within Johnson Controls and EnerNOC. Siemens' demand response business focuses on creating integrated utility-centric solutions for commercial, industrial and residential load management.
Richard McGill Murphy moderates the Sustainable Business Forum. Richard is a journalist and media consultant with 15 years of experience covering business, technology and international affairs. He writes for Fortune and BusinessWeek and serves as managing partner of Walled City Media LLC, a media strategy firm. Previously, he has worked as a top editor at Fortune Small Business and CNNMoney.com, and earlier served as editorial and program director at the Committee to Protect Journalists. He holds a bachelor’s degree in literature from Harvard and a doctorate in social anthropology from Oxford University.
Photo by freedigitalphotos.com .
