Can Utilities and Innovators Work Together at the Edge of the Grid?
Recent events and developments have me pondering a significant question regarding the future of our industry: can traditional utilities and companies innovating at the edge of the grid find common ground to work together?
Undoubtedly, one of the most exciting areas in the energy sector is happening downstream of distribution substations, and especially at customer premises. We are seeing increased penetration of on-site solar PV systems as costs drop dramatically; the promise of energy storage as integrated solar+storage packages become a reality; the growth of building energy management systems with ever-sleeker user interfaces; and smart thermostats that are starting to offer real value (to both the customer and utility/energy provider) rather than simply access to more data.
