If you work in the power industry, you have undoubtedly heard of the Smart Grid.

 
The Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability has been leading the charge toward a newer, smarter grid in a variety of ways, including: 

• Working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop robust Smart Grid standards  (ensuring that utility investments stand the test of time)
• Testifying before congress on the need for cyber-security for the new electric infrastructure
• Providing billions in grants funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help get major installations of Smart Grid projects underway

Of particular interest is this blog post by Patricia Hoffman, the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. In it, Ms. Hoffman asserts that one of the greatest assets for utilities in the age of the Smart Grid is going to be some good old-fashioned customer service know-how.

Specifically, she claims, utilities should be focusing on customer service and communications to ensure that customers thoroughly understand the value of the Smart Grid. Which do you prefer to see in the nightly news: a satisfied customer proudly displaying his in-home energy management system or an angry customer waving a sign to protest the installation of smart meters? Often the reactions of your customers can be influenced by your up-front investments in education and outreach, as well as your willingness to listen to—and communicate with—your customers. Getting out ahead of the demand for information could help make your efforts go much more smoothly.

Of course, in order for utilities to communicate what the Smart Grid means to their customers, investors and regulators, the utilities must understand the concepts thoroughly themselves. To effectively communicate that the Smart Grid is more than just remote meter reading, you first need to lay the foundation for success through outreach before your first infrastructure dollar gets spent or your first smart meter gets installed. So what information sources are out there to help you educate yourself and your customers?

Well, for the broad-strokes information, there are few better places to start than Smartgrid.gov. The "What Is the Smart Grid?" section is specifically geared toward consumers and policy makers to help them understand the value of upgrading the grid with advanced sensing and two-way communications capabilities.

If you need to get down into the weeds, the Smart Grid Information Clearinghouse is an excellent resource aimed at utility professionals. Established by a grant through the U.S. Department of Energy, the Clearinghouse gathers detailed information on deployment experience, including cost-benefit analyses and performance data (available soon). Taking advantage of the work already done by other utilities could provide a valuable edge in your own project planning.

These are exciting times to be involved in energy efficiency. It is especially exciting to watch utilities across the country venture forth on next-generation grid projects. These projects will allow them to make use of their generation, transmission and distribution resources more efficiently, more effectively integrate renewables and electric vehicles, and ultimately, help save their customers money.

Article from Western's Energy Services Bulletin.