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Energy Efficiency Only Part of the Answer By Jesse Berst Aug 27, 2007 - 1:21:00 PM An editorial by economist Lynne Kiesling says Smart Grid proponents must do more to support a) dynamic pricing and b) interoperability. Many people are talking about the energy efficiency benefits. But mostof those benefits go to the utility (lower overall operating costs). Kiesling says we are overlooking potential benefits to the community (lower overall usage) and to the consumer (lower overall bills).
To achieve those benefits, the Smart Grid must be coupled with dynamic pricing (pricing that varies, typically by time of day). Likewise, the Smart Grid must be interoperable. With those two additions, it can "optimize our resource use at the lowest feasible long-term cost." Without those two things, claims Kiesling, today's energy efficiency proposals are "unlikely to be particularly effective at producing sustained demand reduction." Lynne Kiesling's entry on energy efficiency Lynne Kiesling's blog home page Subscribe to our FREE eMail News Alert!
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