Update, Dec. 1, 2011: False alarm! Well, at least in the Illinios water pump case. Read this Wired | Threat Level article for the real story. Still, no reason to let your guard down… This weekend, hackers made news for not only breaking into computer systems, but literally breaking a pump at a water plant in [...]
Read more Stuxnet fears hit home as Illinois water pump hack unfolds
Besides reducing carbon emissions from car travel and ending America’s love affair with the fuel pump, electric vehicles (EVs) can perform another important function: energy storage for renewable energy sources. GE’s new Txchnologist website has an infographic that illustrates how your (future ?) plug-in can one day become a pivotal piece of the smart grid [...]
Singapore-based Semitech today announced that the company has raised $3.4 million AUS — incidentally nearly the same USD amount due to current exchange rates — with an option for up to $6 million more for a total possible haul of $9 million. The Series A round was led by Melbourne, Australia’s Cleantech Ventures. The startup [...]
Read more Semitech lands Series A funding for power line smart grid communications
It pains me that utilities are still struggling to connect with consumers. After all, there’s no more compelling message nowadays than pure, simple savings. Forget putting some money aside for a rainy day; consumers today are getting downright frugal and aren’t afraid to show it. During my stint as Green IT curator at GigaOM Pro, [...]
Read more Dear Utilities, Get with the program
Broadcom chips are common in mobile and telecom gear, particularly smartphones, networking adapters and tablets where connectivity to 3G and wireless networks is a must. Now the company has its sights set on (WiMAX and LTE) by acquiring privately-held Beceem, a 4G networking chipmaker, for $316 million. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Beceem is an attractive target [...]
Read more Broadcom bags Beceem as 4G smart grid networking beckons
If you’ve been following IT security lately, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Stuxnet. The worm is currently sparking some cybersecurity drama with a sprinkling of geopolitical intrigue. (Iran thinks the presence of the worm in its nuclear plant is an assault from foreign powers.) What sets this episode apart is that the worm targets industrial control [...]
Read more Smart Energy: Stuxnet and the smart grid security opportunity
Stuxnet is no stranger to folks interested in computer security, more specifically smart grid security. Long story short: this nasty little piece of malware is very targeted, affecting a suite of software called Siemens Simatic WinCC that manages control systems in industrial facilities and critical infrastructure like power plants. It’s flown under the radar, by [...]
Read more Stuxnet attracts mainstream attention
Silly Cisco, you didn’t expect to own smart grid networking did you? GigaOM’s Katie Fehrenbacher has a great post today on how IT rivalries, particularly the one between Cisco and Juniper, are spilling into the smart grid space. Already, Google and Microsoft are tackling the home energy management market with PowerMeter and Hohm, respectively. Now, [...]
Read more IT rivalries spill onto the smart grid
Poor smart meters. Over the past year or so, some high-profile debacles have made them gadgets non grata in some communities, most notably in Bakersfield, California and parts of Texas. Worse, this dark cloud is endangering smart grid roll-outs in other areas. The cause: confusing rate changes, human error and/or meters that were too accurate [...]
Read more Can we turn the corner on smart meter gloom and doom?
This work by Pedro Hernandez is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
