Getting Smarter About the Smart Grid

In November 2012,  the National Institute for Science, Law & Public Policy published a new report entitled, “Getting Smarter About the Smart Grid.”

In this instance, the author of this comprehensive report examines the technical shortcomings of the smart meter strategy along with its related economic, privacy, security, and potential health risks — explaining why this approach cannot lead to energy sustainability.  It analyzes the failures of both federal grid policy and state regulation.

Some selected quotations from recently published document are as follows:

“The smart meter is a canard—a story or a hoax based on specious and grandiose claims about energy benefits ostensibly derived from the promise of ‘two-way’ communication with the customer.  … These energy benefits have not been delivered, or have been only minimally delivered by the meter networks.”

“Following the initial hype about smart grid and all of the benefits it could bring, the smart meter rapidly became ‘low hanging fruit’ that would provide ‘two-way communication’ to the end user that could deliver all the wonderful benefits of the smart grid.  So the narrative went.  But this starry-eyed account turned out to be wrong.  In reality, the smart meter delivered unemployed meter readers and a deluge of meter data that utilities had no idea what to do with.  It delivered little or nothing of value to the consumer.”

“Much early rhetoric about the smart grid and its potential was visionary and grandiose, but what has been delivered has been less impressive, offering little or no public benefit but much public expense.  The meter has come to symbolize a ‘bait-and-switch’ situation, mainly to the benefit the utility industry and its vendors as well as to politicians and bureaucrats.  In their present form, smart meters offer few or no benefits to consumers, but pose significant risks and costs to them and to society.”

Refer to the full document at the following link:

http://gettingsmarteraboutthesmartgrid.org/pdf/SmartGrid_Report_PDF-2012-11-26-Final.pdf.

In addition, if you have more time, watch the video below for a panel discussion which deals with the background behind the recently released report.