January 06, 2011

As the Motor City in Detroit undergoes real changes, Energy Central decided to check into Southern California to see how the electric vehicle is unfolding there.

Today we'll touch base with San Diego Gas & Electric's Chris Chen, market development manager at the utility. His role is very different from that of Arun Banskota, president of NRG EV Services, which is behind the eVgo charging station brand, and that of Jeff LeBrun, a senior analyst at DTE Energy, who is stitching together the diverse array of stakeholders in Detroit.

December 27, 2010

Venture Capitalists pursuing smart grid opportunities are so varied in their approaches they might be said to mimic the proliferation of species in the Galapagos Islands.

Success in their endeavor depends on a Darwinian adaptation to the market, as they seek unexploited niches and nascent or overlooked opportunities.

That said, venture capitalists obviously focus on thriving, not merely surviving. Their intent is to fund innovative technologies destined for the mainstream and cash out on relatively short timelines, when a company succeeds in being acquired or launching an initial public offering.

November 24, 2010

It's that time of year when pundits forecast trends. Pike Research appears to be first out of the gate, so we'll pass them the crystal ball today. Of course, they work pretty hard to quantify market directions, so this isn't a séance but the synthesis of key findings from their 2010 output.

Security threats become tangible.

"People have paid lip service to it, now they're going to worry more about it," said Bob Gohn, a Pike Research senior analyst. "You do security to pass the audit, not necessarily to be secure."

GRIDWEEK COVERAGE - Businesses Will Be Totally Transformed

October 25, 2010

A revolution has been launched as utilities build up an armory of smart grid weaponry. Their businesses will be totally transformed.

That was the view of a panel of industry experts at GridWeek in Washington yesterday that I moderated.

Joseph Rigby, Pepco Holdings chairman, president and chief executive officer, said that utility capabilities are expanding dramatically.

October 12, 2010 

Maryland's utility commission is bucking utilities and asking for proof that smart meters will pay off. Power companies in the state may have to absorb those costs unless they can engage customers and produce results.

Technology enthusiasts say that the decision is short-sighted and that government's role is to partner with industry to encourage promising new trends. But some consumer advocacy organizations that the commission got it right - that the ratepayers are not patsies for utilities that don't want to bear any risks.