A new report from research and consulting firm Zpryme describes the growing field of smart appliances as a tremendous market opportunity. It estimates that the global household smart appliance market will grow from $3.06 billion to $15.12 billion over the next five years. In 2015, the global market size for smart washers and smart refrigerators will reach $3.54 billion and $2.69 billion, respectively.
via Smart Appliances Will Scrutinize, Synchronize and Economize |Triple Pundit.
Recent research by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has shown that many European Member States are on course to achieve their target of 20% renewable energy by 2020, with some even set to exceed the target. This is a fantastic achievement for the EU in terms of tackling climate change and ensuring that renewable energy is a reliable resource for the future.
via Renewable Energy in EMEA: The Critical Role of Smart Grids (Oracle Utilities Blog).
The OASIS open standards consortium today announced the formation of a new Member Section, OASIS Blue, which will bring together a variety of open standards projects related to energy, intelligent buildings, and natural resources. OASIS Blue will leverage the innovation of existing electronic commerce standards and the power of the Internet to achieve meaningful sustainability. An international effort, OASIS Blue incorporates work that has been identified as a central deliverable for the U.S. government's strategic Smart Grid initiative.
Coolpower Products, a dynamic energy demand management technology business, has launched a technology solution for the UK market, that will, for the first time, provide a smart energy management device for both domestic and commercial buildings, that more effectively manages the energy output of grid-connected micro-generators (e.g. solar panels, micro wind and hydro turbines). The new Energy and Micro-generator Manager, called ‘EMMA’ is being unveiled at this week’s Ecobuild show in Earls Court, London, the biggest event in the world for sustainable design, construction and the built environment, expected to attract over 34,500 visitors.
via Energy consumers set to benefit from new smart technology | Easier.
KEMA (www.kema.com) completed its analysis of the smart energy market in Texas. Sponsored by many leading energy and technology companies in the US, the study examined residential customer awareness, acceptance and value of smart grid enabled electricity offers, home energy technologies and rate plans (“smart energy”).
Creating a revolution in the way energy is produced and shared, distributed solar energy is one of the top clean energy topics of the day.
Chicago utility company ComEd (an arm of the energy giant Exelon Corporation) has a new pilot project in this field that will outfit 100 Chicago-area homes with solar photovoltaic panels and “at least 50 of those with ’smart’ meters, net metering, battery backup and a grid-tied status that enables them to send unused electricity from their solar energy systems back to the grid.”
via Chicago’s New Distributed Solar Energy Pilot Project : CleanTechnica.
Whether you are planning to live “off the grid” and free yourself from energy bills or just “kick back” and enjoy lower energy bills, the first step is always to understand your home’s energy usage and employ good old fashioned energy conservation techniques.
Digi International has unveiled a smart energy gateway which it claims is the first to seamlessly connect ZigBee Smart Energy certified devices before or with Smart Meter deployments.
The ConnectPort X2 connects certified ZigBee Smart Energy devices from a home area network (HAN) to an energy service provider via broadband. According to Digi, it is the industry’s first gateway that connects, controls, or gathers data from ZigBee Smart Energy devices equally well before or with Smart Meter deployments.
A few years from now and the world might experience a change in the ways energy is being used and controlled. Thanks to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group’s (SIG) latest initiatives wireless technology is all set to expand its reach into the arena of smart electric grids to pave the way for clean energy.
via SIG’s Clean Energy Initiatives through Application of Bluetooth Technology to Smart Grid.
Most communications service providers (CSPs) are currently focused on offering backhaul communication solutions to utilities looking to delve into the smart grid, but that doesn’t mean they’re not equipped to offer more. According to Bill Ablondi, Parks Associates’ director of home systems, there’s room for telcos – amongst the IT companies and home-area network vendors – to carve a niche in remote energy management (REM), with or without the help of a utility.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has formed a Smart Energy Study Group to explore application in smart electric grids. CSR, Broadcom and Emerson Electric are the initial members of the group.
The study group will explore possible applications of Bluetooth in all aspects of the smart energy market. It will form a strategy for Bluetooth Smart Energy and make recommendations based on its findings.
via EETimes.com – Bluetooth group explores apps in smart grid.
Most would agree that smart grid is the most happening sector in the clean tech industry right now. It is trying to revamp our outdated and inefficient electrical grids through digital technology. The goal is a green grid which will bring us power savings and lower carbon dioxide emissions. The savings come at a steep up-front cost though –- an estimated $520 billion, according to a McKinsey report.
via Clean Tech Companies Get Smart with Energy Plans | CleanTechies Blog – CleanTechies.com.
A competitive America is also America that finally has a smart energy policy. We know there’s no silver bullet here. We understand that to reduce our dependence on oil and the damage caused by climate change, we're going to need more production in the short term, we're going to need more efficiency, and we need more incentives for clean energy.
And already, the Recovery Act has allowed us to jump-start the clean energy industry in America -– an investment that will lead to 720,000 clean energy jobs by the year 2012. To take just one example, the United States used to make less than 2 percent of the world’s advanced batteries for hybrid cars. By 2015, we’ll have enough capacity to make up to 40 percent of these batteries.
via Prof. Obama’s lecture on business to the Business Roundtable | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times.
Energy and Climate Change secretary Ed Miliband is visiting Manchester tomorrow to launch new energy-saving electricity meters in the Northern Quarter.
The SMARTER project will help businesses and householders to save money and reduce their carbon footprint and will establish the country’s first smart energy business district.
The £250,000 scheme is funded jointly by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Manchester City Council.
via Miliband to launch smart meters in Northern Quarter – Crain’s Manchester Business.
Examine a utility’s load curve over the course of a week and the trace looks like a roller-coaster. Demand for electric power peaks about 5 pm each day and declines to a low at about 2 am. Look closer and you see demand changing almost by the second. So there are two problems here that befuddle electric companies. One comes from having to deal with the large changes in demand as it grows and slackens throughout a 24 hour period.
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