Smart Grid

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 [...]

Read more EV 101: With V2G, your car is the battery

by Pedro Hernandez on May 3, 2011 · 1 comment

When the Smart Grid Consumer Collective (SGCC) formed last year, it set on a tough and unforgiving road. The parties it represents — utilities and smart grid vendors, for the most part — were the enemy in the eyes of homeowners that saw their electric bills skyrocket soon after smart meters were installed. This led [...]

Read more Smart grid and consumers: Exploring a tough sell

by Pedro Hernandez on February 9, 2011 · 2 comments

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

by Pedro Hernandez on January 19, 2011 · 0 comments

It’s that time. Before we welcome a brand new year, here are 2010′s most popular posts according to you! 1. Stats of the Day: BP Oil Spill Google Results Back in June, I ran a little experiment. In terms of Google search results, how did BP’s recent oil spill compare against the previous top environmental [...]

Read more Top 10: Most popular ecoINSITE posts of 2010

by Pedro Hernandez on December 31, 2010 · 0 comments

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

by Pedro Hernandez on November 7, 2010 · 0 comments

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

by Pedro Hernandez on October 13, 2010 · 0 comments

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

by Pedro Hernandez on September 29, 2010 · 1 comment

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

by Pedro Hernandez on September 27, 2010 · 1 comment

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

by Pedro Hernandez on September 22, 2010 · 0 comments

Nexant announced today that it added $43 million to its coffers, and that Intel Capital isn’t the only VC that has taken an interest in the smart energy software firm. In addition to Intel, Oak Investment Partners has joined existing investors TeleSoft and Beacon in funding the new round. According to Nexant’s Executive Chairman, Arjun [...]

Read more Nexant banks $43M

by Pedro Hernandez on September 21, 2010 · 0 comments