"Smart Energy Summit" articles

Parks Associates research recently cited in Intelligent Utility shows that 16% of all U.S. broadband households own one or more smart home devices. Many of these smart devices offer energy management capabilities, including demand response. Utilities are now weighing the benefits of incorporating smart devices into utility programs. Tom Kerber , Director of Research for Home Controls & Energy, reports that utilities can use data from smart devices to advance the success of...

In many ways, I was born to moderate a panel at next week’s Smart Energy Summit, held at the Omni Hotel in Austin. I grew up in a household where my father would “politely” remind us to turn off the lights when we left a room. I can say with some degree of certainty his motivation went far beyond being an early conservationist; he didn’t want to pay the Philadelphia Electronic Company (now PECO) one penny more than he had to. And for the past 32-plus years, I have been...

In a recent article for the New York Times , Steve Lohr writes that consumers purchase smart home products for a number of reasons, including environmental worries, financial savings, and the physical appeal of smart home merchandise. Lohr included Parks Associates research to show the increase in sales of energy-related smart home products. Valued at $850 million, Parks Associates research shows consumers purchased 10 million smart thermostats, plugs, power strips, and lights...

Martha Amram , Founder and CEO at WattzOn, discusses the challenges the smart energy market is facing: What do you think is the most challenging issue for your company as it relates to the residential energy management market? Actually, the market is getting much better. In the past the key challenge was consumer distraction due to the Great Recession, and lack of clarity around viable business models. Both have sorted themselves out. There is a sizable early adopter...

Christopher Kotting , Executive Director at USNAP Alliance , answers industry questions prior to speaking at Smart Energy Summit   in February: What do you think is the most challenging issue for your company as it relates to the residential energy management market? As an industry alliance devoted to open standards, the largest challenge is the suppliers of consumer products being overly focused on the question of how their company will fare next quarter and...

Emmett Romine , General Manager Development for DTE Energy , responds to the industry question: “What are the major barriers impacting consumer adoption of energy related products and services?” One of the key issues for consumer adoption is creating an experience that has a net positive value proposition for a broad base of consumers. Most solutions are niche, require too much time to set up, maintain and troubleshoot, and don't make enough of an impact on their...

Paul Wattles , Sr. Analyst, Market Design & Development at Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) , offers insight into the barriers and opportunities currently impacting energy management: What are the major barriers impacting consumer adoption of energy related products and services? Low-cost electricity, the result of low natural gas prices, dilutes the business case for energy management and DR. Also, in the areas of ERCOT open to competitive choice,...

Brad Paine , Director of Product Marketing, Honeywell Environmental & Combustion Controls, at Honeywell, answers several questions about the challenges and opportunities currently affecting the energy management market: What do you think is the most challenging issue for your company as it relates to the residential energy management market?  We have terrific opportunities to partner with utilities that requires some sharing of energy data. It is difficult...