1. Hot Summer, Power Stress, and Demand Response
The continuous sweltering heat across New England is increasing the demand for energy, which in-turn, is posing challenge for utility companies to generate more power increasing the cost and global warming. At the same time, power line operators also have to manage the peak load on the already aging infrastructure, increasing the possibility of brown-outs and black-outs. That’s where Demand Response and companies like EnerNOC steps in, which already have businesses on their roll for cutting their demands as per their pre-agreed terms during peak load time period.
2. Electric Cars are Cheaper to Drive : Power Companies
In Automobile sector, Electric car is the new buzz word. Companies like Tesla, Nissan, and Ford are leading the charge, whereas, Toyota, GM, and Mitsubishi are closely following them. Naturally, a question arises in one’s mind, are these cars worth the hype?, how much it will cost to drive? According to survey conducted by Washington D.C based research group, it will cost $40 per month to drive EVs that is hardly a week’s drive using gasoline.
3. The Rise of Information based Cleantech
So far, clean technologies had majority investment geared towards solar panels, bio-fuels, wind-energy, and other green energies where heavy capital, efforts, and time were needed to bring the product into market. With the advent of Smart Grid these seems to be changing , it seems the internet of clean-tech is emerging now. Three information based segment, Disintermediation, Data as a service, and Automation are emerging as the next hot thing for CleanTech VCs.
4. How the Smart Grid will Change your life
In the era of information age, where most of the information is just your finger-tip away, Energy is exception tot the rule. The old grid, which was designed way back in 20th century has not evolved with the change of time. With increasing population, growth in emerging market, scarce resources, and growing demand for energy is making a way for Smart Grid through which an average user will be able to access their energy usage on their finger-tips.
5. What Smart Grid means and doesn’t mean for India
Smart Grid, which is amalgamation of many technologies, has diverse application and can drastically vary from one country to another. In the case for India, curtailing load, or managing peak load and reducing theft is the primary driver. For example, Electric Vehicals are not scheme of things for Indian Smart Grid, Similarly theft is non-concern for developed countries. Green Energy, though a national strategic priority for India, may not be a top priority for Smart Grid Implementation. In India, where many parts of the country yet haven’t had electricity, optimizing the usage at low cost is a strong driver.