Who and what technologies will deliver the smart grid?
- Date
- 27 November 2008
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By Molly Webb, Head of Smart Technologies, The Climate Group.
An interesting investment tidbit from StrategyEye:
UK cleantech investor Climate Change Capital (CCC) is investing EUR10m (USD13m) of its EUR200m (USD259m) cleantech fund in German firm Power Plus Communications, which makes broadband power line networks. Power Plus says its technology can relay broadband data over low- and medium-voltage transmission networks, enabling smart grid functions such as real-time pricing and energy monitoring.
And from Power Plus Communications website:
The BPL(broadband power line communication) system is based on the Internet protocol and open interfaces. This enables the fast and easy transfer of current consumption in real time from the electronic meters to the energy provider.
Who and what will deliver the smart grid? BPL technology providers? Proprietary utlity-built communications infrastructure? Existing GSM or CDMA networks?
This post on energyblogs.com describes the challenge of smart grid deliery in the US context.
Is BPL a dead-end? Climate Change Capital just invested 10 million in a German BPL company. But hasn't Japan banned it (More on Andrew Seybold's blog)? What do you think?
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