The Smart Grid: Too Smart For The Rest Of Us?

Toby Tyler, PG&E

Stevenson Hall 1300
12:00 PM - 12:50 PM

The electric grid in the United States has been suffering from chronic under-investment and is unlikely to support future demands without deployment of new technologies. Smart Grid technologies promise to improve the reliability and efficiency of the grid in a less expensive and more sustainable way than traditional energy infrastructure investment. Energy utilities are deploying Smart Energy Home Area Networks that enable two-way communication between the utility and the home. But the response from consumers so far has been mixed. This presentation will examine the opportunities for more efficient operation of the energy grid and the barriers to doing so from both a technology and a consumer perspective.