An Efficient World

Matthew Villarreal ISM 158April 13, 2010

Smart Grid Needs a Dose of Social Networking

• The Newton, Mass.-based start-up is one of dozens of smart-grid companies working in home energy efficiency and is one of the few founders versed in psychology and behavioral science. One reason GroundedPower has chosen to focus on people as much as technology.

• GroundedPower's Web-based application combines home electricity monitoring with tools to make a home energy efficiency plan and get recommendations from others.

• It also makes a very simple hardware device called "Glance" to signal consumers if they are meeting their goals.

Many companies have developed in home energy displays, which are sometimes distributed as part of utility smart-grid programs, to give people a real-time view of their electricity consumption.

A Growing Concern A growing concern that smart-grid programs, as they are conceived now, won't be enough to get utility customers actively engaged in managing home energy.

Earlier this week, GroundedPower submitted comments to the California Public Utilities Commission, which is considering requirements for upcoming smart-grid programs. People are motivated by more than utility prices, which is primarily how regulators are seeking to encourage people to conserve and use electricity at off-peak times. The social-networking aspects of GroundedPower's application, are geared at getting recommendations and sharing tips with people in similar situations. For example, a person could commit to changing how they wash clothes and share ideas or compete with others on an overall reduction.

Customers Enjoy Hand Technology

Rather than only display historical energy data, GroundedPower's Web application lets people walk through an online audit and set goals that they commit to. After that, they can monitor their progress either through the Web application or other device, such as a smart phone.

The system can work with other smart-grid devices, such as smart meters or two-way thermostats that let people remotely control their appliances. But the reductions in the first trial were entirely based on behavior changes “As utilities get deeper in

smart grid programs, we expect more utilities to focus on improving consumer engagement.”

O Power creates personalized reports, which give people an idea of how efficient their homes are compared to people in similar situations. There are also Web-based applications, such as Microsoft Hohm, which allow people to create a home efficiency plan and generate recommendations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylil_8TarA4