The Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition (DRSG), a trade group for companies, announced that it welcomes the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) ruling.

DRSG that provides DR and smart grid technologies and services said the issuance of ruling is an important step in addressing some of the key issues which are blocking the development of the smart grid market.

“There are questions being asked about consumer privacy relative to the smart grid and the new technologies and information that it will put in place,” said Dan Delurey, president of the DRSG, in a statement. “With yesterday's ruling, the CPUC shows that policymakers are aware of these issues and addressing them.”

The California Public Utilities Commission ruling is significant as it also addresses customer access and data provision.

Smart grid will enable customers to access better information about their electricity usage. They can use such information available from smart grid to shift and reduce their usage in ways that better optimize the electricity system.  

This is a big step forward for consumer empowerment from the standpoint of the electricity customer, officials at DRSG stated. The technology has not been available in the area of electricity to create and provide the kind of information that consumers get in all other areas of their lives. Research has shown that consumers can save from 5 – 15 percent on their electricity use simply by acting on the feedback they receive.  

Recently, the National Action Plan Coalition (NAPC) announced the launch of a Demand Response and Smart Grid Communications Action Guide.

The Communications Guide synthesizes existing research and best practices to date. It incorporates new ideas to create concepts, models, and language likely to be effective with consumers in efforts to educate and communicate with them on demand response and smart grid.

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