Patrick Strange, Chief Executive, Transpower

New Zealand’s transmission grid owner Transpower has initiated discussions with interested parties on a multi-million dollar demand side initiative in the upper North Island to help defer investment in new assets.

Enbridge Gas New Brunswick is to purchase and install automated meter reading (AMR) devices on all existing and future natural gas meters to help improve operational efficiency and enhance customer service.

Colorado Springs Utilities has selected Ecologic Analytics’ meter data management system (MDMS) to further enhance its local distribution network of more than 535,000 electric, gas and water endpoints for approximately 310,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

New Zealand energy company Genesis Energy has adopted Gentrack’s Time of Use (TOU) billing system, giving the utility one integrated system for billing all residential, small and medium enterprise (SME) and large commercial customers, the company has announced.

Two smart grid companies, OPOWER and Tendril, have been named by the World Economic Forum among its new class of Technology Pioneers, comprising 31 of what the body regards as the most innovative technology start-ups from around the world, representing the cutting edge in innovation and poised to have a critical impact on the future of business, industry and society.

Sunil Sharan

The U.S. Congress has abandoned yet another climate bill. Gridlock in this august body looms large come November, dampening hopes of effective energy legislation in the foreseeable future. America is stuck. Yet deregulation, a concept all but renounced by the country a decade back in the wake of California's energy crisis, holds the potential to unlock the gates to climatic heaven.

Intelligent, or smart, grids are the key to the integration of renewable energies and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the European survey participants of trend:research´s current study “Smart Grids in Europe to 2030,” a majority of 70% is convinced that smart grids will become essential for the optimal integration of decentralized power plant and effective grid control.

Marianne Swanson has been appointed to head the U.S. Smart Grid Interoperability Panel’s Cyber Security Working Group (CSWG).