Smart by Default

Deck: 

Time-varying rates from the get-go – not just by opt-in.

Fortnightly Magazine - August 2014
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About a third of U.S. households are now receiving electric service through smart meters but only two percent are buying the energy portion of their electric bill on a time-varying rate, or TVR. As we look at the future, it is clear that the number of customers with smart meters will continue to grow while the number of customers on TVRs will continue to stagnate. (TVRs come in several forms. For definitions of some of the more commonly used TVRs - , CPP, PTR, TOU, and VPP - see sidebar, "Common Forms of Time-Varying Rates.")

It is possible that nearly all U.S. households will be on smart meters sometime during the next decade. But how many will buy electricity through a TVR? Unfortunately, if the current regulatory logjam persists, that percentage is not likely to enter double digits any time soon.1

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