Today's Winner: The Verizon Hub

Here at the PSP blog we promote the notion that something must be measured before it can be reduced. Homeowners looking to reduce their energy bills will be given a much better chance to succeed if they can watch their usage in real time.

The key to acheiving this reality begins with smarter energy meters that can measure usage as it ocurrs, instead of once a month. This will essentially begin the integration of the internet onto the electric grid with systems interacting with each other remotely over some agreed upon protocal (another step towards acheivement). The question I am posing today is, how is this information going to be displayed so the homeowner can actually use it to save some real money?

Let's forget about the software for moment (think Google PowerMeter). After a recent visit to the Smart Home exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, it was clear that the ultimate outcome to display energy information has yet to be determined. Will it mount on the wall like your programmable thermostat? Will it only get as far as your computer screen? Or will something entirely different come along?

The Verizon Hub is an interesting proposal. It combines the home phone with a small display (not unlike the Chumby) that includes a series of applications to help people organize their lives. Hopefully, this initial effort to "reinvent" the home phone will be successful and further development will include software that is open to all the living room software developers out there.

All the big names are hard at work on this: GE, Google, Verizon, AT&T, IBM... (this list goes on). There are many more smaller companies that have done the tough job of proving that the technology works, but it sadly appears as if they will be eaten up by the power players. The competition is great, it's a proven method of finding the best solution. Now we get to sit back and enjoy.

I declare today's winner, the Verizon Hub. It's new, different, it looks great, and it would be a great place for that killer app to show me how I can save some money if I was just a little bit smarter with my energy usage. Tomorrow's winner, might win it all... so stay tuned.

Learn more about the Verizon Hub.

A Respone To the Latest Comment

Demand Response is a nice way to best utilize the energy supply that we have in relation to the transmission grid. I whole heartedly endorse the use of DR to allow Energy producers and Transmission compnaies - even down to the distribution providers to use every single method of DR to it's fullest use. That means sometimes DR is used to make available a Megawatt or two for profit purposes. Using DR for the purpose of conservation (saving the planet) is an abberant use of the technology. Until we (the USA) regain the samnity of mind that says we need more generation, both coal and nuclear, we will further become global paupers and apologists for being "consumers". Oh to see the day when we value production rather than wasted capacity. Wise use of resources for sure, but this country did not become great by conservation. We did not save the world from despotism twice in the 20th century by conservation. We had to out produce the enemy not out conserve them. We have vast resources of coal and natural gas, we have safe nuclear technology,if we knuckle under to the Global Warming alarmists, we will give global supremacy to our enemy and become their subjects.
- Anonymous

First, I would like to note that if you do decide to leave a comment that's great, but please avoid using an anonymous title.

Conservation and production are not necessarily at odds with each other. In fact, our country is currently racing to produce as much renewable energy as we can. There is not a real concern that we cannot match the demand. The goal in our manufacturing today is to be a supplier of clean power which comes free with the ever blowing wind and shining sun. Also, the goal is to use conservation wisely so that when demand increases our production will be enhanced.

Demand response initiatives and energy efficiency are steps that can be accomplished today. The result of which will appear each month on energy bills that use fewer kilowatts and therms. This money, a cost of living, can go towards more valuable household resources like education, day care, and health care.

The costs of using polluting nonrenewable natural resources cannot be seen on a monthly bill. They are hidden within health care costs, food prices, and national security.

Also, beware of getting the sense that there is an "enemy" that we are competing with. Adding sophistication to our electricity generation is a global remedy that everyone will benefit from.

These solutions and objectives do not come from an effort to stop global warming. The ideas have been around for a lot longer than that term has existed. A more efficient and sustainable society is more stable and the consumer is better protected to consume without fear of poverty, disease, and insecurity.

Wind Powered Drive-in Theater

The Harvest Moon Drive-In is only open on the weekends in April, May, and September, daily throughout June, July, August, and its closed during the winter, but that does not stop the wind from blowing. Here is another great example of a business lowering its energy costs that can now put that money towards the customer experience.

GIBSON CITY, Ill. - "Monsters vs. Aliens" had top billing at the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In in Gibson City. But the three-armed, 50-foot beast at the gate and its shorter companion weren't part of the production.

Drive-in owner Mike Harroun (huh-ROON') has installed two energy-producing wind turbines. He believes the Harvest Moon is now the world's only wind-powered drive-in.

The turbines feed power to the electric grid and the theater is credited for that energy.

Harroun says the turbines will initially cut his costs by 30 percent. Eventually, he hopes the turbines will provide all of the drive-in's power.

The Harvest Moon is the only drive-in in east-central Illinois. Gibson City is about 30 miles north of Champaign.

Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com

Check out the Harvest Moon Drive-in here (with more pics of the windmills).

GE Announces 2012 Olympic Village Smart Meter Program

Here in Chicago, Olympic fever has reached an early climax with members of the IOC surveying the city this week in its bid as a possible host for the 2016 games. In that spirit, today's entry will feature the upcoming London 2012 games.

GE has announced that it will equip the 2012 Olympic Village with their smart meters. The goal is to use the platform as a launch point for the benefits of knowing the details of your household energy use.

“It’s how you use the information from smart meters to change people’s behavior, rather than the installation of the meters themselves, which is interesting,” explained Tony Gale, GE’s general manager of the company’s London 2012 projects team. “We want to show people the benefits of having detailed information on electricity use through information coming out of the Olympic village.”

A developed smart metering system is seen as such an essential piece of the future energy efficiency portfolio because it can provide improvements from both the supply and demand side of the issue. Utilities will have more knowledge, and thus control, over where, when, and how much electricity is being used. Customers will have up to the minute information on their own usage, and they will no longer be in the dark on their electricity costs until their bill arrives in the mail.

Pilot programs are beginning all over the country to determine the exact benefits utilities and customers can expect. The Olympic Village program will give the results a highly publicized stage. One can just hope that they will emphasize the ever elusive negawatts!!! (a PSP blog favorite...)

Refer a Friend to PSP get $20 at Home Depot

Pass on the savings!

Across Illinois, energy-smart customers like you have been saving money on their electricity bills with Power Smart Pricing. Since the program launched in 2007, participants saved an average of 10 percent on their electricity bills compared with what they would have paid on the standard residential rate.

This spring, you’re invited to help your friends and family save energy and money with Power Smart Pricing! Refer your friends to Power Smart Pricing, and for each friend who enrolls you’ll receive a $20 gift certificate to the Home Depot. You can put that $20 toward energy efficient products like compact fluorescent light bulbs or weatherization supplies to increase your savings with Power Smart Pricing.

To take advantage of this offer, simply tell your friends about Power Smart Pricing. Then if they decide to enroll, ask them to enter your name on the enrollment form in response to the question, “How did you hear about Power Smart Pricing?”

Encourage your friends to visit www.powersmartpricing.org to learn more today!

We’d also be happy to mail you brochures that you can pass along to your friends, neighbors, and local community groups. To request brochures, contact us at info@powersmartpricing.org or (877) 655-6028 and let us know how many copies you’d like to receive.

This promotion is available for a limited time only so tell your friends about Power Smart Pricing today.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!