DECEMBER 2018CIOAPPLICATIONS.COM8Will the Smart Meter Deliver on its Promise?JOHN BURKE, CIO, AMBIT ENERGYIn My Viewt the start of 2018 there were 71 million smart meters installed in the US funded by the promise of smarter grids, fewer carbon emissions, and more satisfied consumers. A smart meter infrastructure lays the groundwork for dynamic pricing, demand response, remote meter management, and improved energy forecasting. But, where are we currently and what will it take to realize this promise?First, we have to recognize the factors slowing the progress of smart meters: lack of software solutions, consumer privacy concerns, and the "last mile" for real time consumer awareness. In May the Massachusetts DPU decided to delay funding of the state's smart meter initiative due to the lack of software availability. Incumbent utilities lacked the system capabilities to scale their billing processes with high volume usage generated by smart meters. In addition, the commission sited that non-incumbent energy retailers in Massachusetts also lack the software capability to maintain complex tiered rating products. Given the lack of software available to players, the DPU considered it an unwarranted burden on the consumer to upgrade the meters when the true value to the consumer cannot be realized. In California, smart meters have been funded and installed, but the public concern over loss of privacy is slowing adoption of the meters and has the CPUC is fighting a vigorous PR campaign to keep the calm. Most states considering smart meter deployments need to prepare for consumer advocacy push back on privacy. Finally, the "last mile" of true insight into a consumer's real-time usage is hampered by inadequate technical solutions and delays in processing smart meter data for consumption. Smart meter data is back hauled from the residence to the transmission and distribution provider's back office. The shortest timeframe for consumer facing systems to receive settlement quality data is roughly 4 days. In California, Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) groups contest that it is actually 48 days until they receive true settlement quality data. Given the volume of data and the need to scrub it for A
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