The communications and power industries have always been tied at the hip. However, this relationship was taken to the next level a few years ago with the introduction of the smart grid, a concept aimed at leveraging the power of next-generation networks to improve the efficiency and reliability of the electric grid.
Smart grid initiatives are taking place all over the U.S., with a special emphasis in California, where some of today's leading tech companies make their home.
TMC (News - Alert) recently travelled to Silicon Valley to talk to some of these companies to see what they are up to and what plans they have for the future.
During the event, TMC CEO Rich Tehrani (News - Alert) had the opportunity to sit down with Larry Owens, manager of customer service and communications at Silicon Valley Power, a Santa Clara-based municipal electric utility.
Even with the stagnant economy, companies like Silicon Valley Power have been able to keep their head above water and continue to innovate, mostly due to the area's reliance on data centers and server farms, which account for around 25 percent of the power that Silicon Valley Power delivers.
Owens attributes a great deal of the utility's recent success to its extensive fiber optic network, something that has helped the company improve its reliability and move into the aforementioned smart grid arena.
As for what sets them apart from its competitors, Owens said that Silicon Valley Power has the lowest average rate for electricity in the nation as well as one of the highest reserves of renewable energy content.
He told Tehrani that green energy represents around 25 to 35 percent of the company's business. The majority of this electricity stems from geothermal, wind and hydro-electric solutions.
Looking forward, Owens said that Silicon Valley Power will be working on solar panel systems and applications for electric utilities and the city government itself.
“We really think that we are at the forefront of building a smart city network, of which electric metering is just the beginning,” he said.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.
Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Jennifer Russell