CES 2010 Reveals Ripe Competition

Alright here it is.. after some logistical juggling and tricky air travel in the middle of the winter, the post heard round the world has finally arrived.

Everything about the show in insanely large. The booth displays, the televisions, and of foremost importance the competition. Aside from the large companies vying for the most extravagance booth, the show was stuffed to the brim with smaller businesses looking to make a few magical first impressions.

One place where that competition was brewing from all angles with everyone looking over their shoulder was the field of home energy management. Everything was up for grabs. The meters, the displays, the accessories, and even the communication technology to integrate all the madness. Unfortunately some of these ventures will fall flat because their devices will be based on a communication system that will end up going extinct (think vcr vs betamax or the contemporary version - Bluray vs HD-DVD).


Bulogics - http://www.bulogics.com/index.html
One of the companies, Bulogics is taking no chances. Their devices are based on a communication standard called Z-wave that is in direct competition with the much more successful to date, Zigbee. However in their latest iteration, they have added a simple functionality update to be able to work with all the possible outcomes (Z-wave, Zigbee, or WiFi). Bulogics has developed a Smart Grid Controller that can send and receive signals from a customers' smart meter. If the price electricity goes up, the customer can use a Bulogics surge protector to manage specific home electronics automatically. You would also be able to control your air conditioner over the internet and change the temperature based on different price points that you choose. In the end, a utility customer with a smart meter and dynamic rates like Power Smart Pricing can see energy cost savings automatically. No more checking the prices and scrambling around the house.

4Home Energy - http://www.4home.com/
Aside from the actual equipment and communication standards, companies are competing in the area of software. Just like Power Smart Pricing's new Bill Comparison Tool, utilities are looking for ways to take all this new information and communicate it effectively to their customers. 4Home Energy has developed software that is designed to be "plug and play" for utilities' new expansion of a smart meter system. From the brief demo, it is clear that they have managed to incorporate a lot of the important aspects of managing your home energy usage. You would be able to control your HVAC equipment, your lights, and your larger appliances over the internet or through an in-home display.

So what does all this mean? Things are in good shape. Healthy competition will ensure that the best will eventually make its way to the top. In the meantime, hurdles will have to be crossed to bring this emerging field to fruition. For starters, every company is somewhat waiting and watching for the continued expansion of smart meters in residences.

The so called silver bullet, the necessary component to all this is quite clear... these companies need customers with dynamic pricing. The traditional flat rate would stifle extended innovation. Customers want more for less while the flat rate's offer of less for less leave these competitors racing without a spur.

CES Countdown is On!

Tomorrow the PSP Blog is leaving its comfortable surroundings in Illinois and trading snow and cold for the desert winds of Las Vegas for CES 2010.  Be prepared for an all day onslaught of TMI (Too Much Information). The plan is to not get too sidetracked by oversized televisions, touchscreens, and crazy robots.

There should be reports on new home management displays, batteries, and perhaps an energy efficient television or two... So don't stray too far.

After the weekend, the PSP Blog will post a wrap up featuring the grand themes and schemes headed our way. The blog will weigh in on any success real-time pricing programs like Power Smart Pricing have had on the collective minds of our future innovators.

If you have any requests or specific questions that you are seeking answers for, leave a comment and the PSP Blog will do its best to answer it.

More CES 2010 Fever

The bloggers over at Earth2Tech have put together a "Green Guide" for CES 2010. Some of their highlights match the PSP Blog's top list, but it still should be an interesting read.

Click here for earth2tech's guide to CES 2010.

Everyone be on the lookout for updates from the CES floor on Friday January 8th. The event will be a great time, and it will see the road map laid out for 2010 and beyond. The technology world might not be caught up with Power Smart Pricing, but I guess we should give them a chance to wow us this year...

1/2 Energy & Environment Links

WattVision Is Latest Tool for Easy Real-Time Energy Monitoring (Video)

Wattvision is a new plug-n-play tool for real time energy monitoring. Like most power monitors available on the market, you just snap a sensor on to your electricity meter and you can get real-time energy consumption data on your computer or smart phone. But an interesting pricing structure, super simple displays, and social networking tools for energy consumption data could help set Wattvision apart from the rest of the market.

Energy Star Gets Tough on LG Electronics

The Department of Energy has announced that, as of Jan. 20, LG Electronics will be banned from using the Energy Star label on 20 of its refrigerator-freezer models.

Amazing Glitter-Sized Photovoltaic Cells Look Like Golden Snowflakes

As snowstorms sweep the country, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are warming up our winter blues with the creation of these gorgeous snowflake-shaped photovoltaic cells. The glitter-sized solar sequins are made from crystalline silicon and use 100 times less material to generate the same amount of electricity as standard solar cells made from 6-inch square solar wafers. Perfect for soaking up the sun’s rays on unusual shapes and surfaces, the solar cells are expected to be less expensive, more efficient, and have promising applications in textiles and clothing.