Customers won’t join the team unless utilities make it worthwhile.
Michael T. Burr is Fortnightly’s editor-in-chief. Email him at burr@pur.com.
I’ve noticed a distinct change in focus when it comes to the smart grid. Over the past year or so, some utilities and technology vendors seem to have de-emphasized smart meters and customer-centric apps like demand response or bill management. Instead they’re looking further upstream. At industry trade shows today, the hot trend seems to be distribution management systems (DMS)—which promise benefits for utility operations without relying on rate plans or changes in customer behavior.
In this month’s Technology Corridor article, Fortnightly Contributor Alyssa Danigelis explores the promise of DMS (“Killer App”). In her conversations with utilities, vendors and analysts, she learned that while advanced DMS technology holds great potential for improving system efficiency and reliability, it’s really still in its infancy in terms of large-scale applications.