Better Consumer Access to Energy Information Urged of Obama Administration

The tech industry wants government policies that would let consumers better manage energy consumption using Web-enabled devices, they said at a briefing hosted by Google and the Climate Group Tuesday. Meanwhile, positive signs were seen on Capitol Hill on efforts that could meet the Obama administration’s goal of a comprehensive energy plan, said Carol Browner, assistant to the president for energy and climate change.

Letting consumers access energy information like power use, sources and causes of consumption, pricing and pricing plans and available information about generation sources of electricity would be helpful, said Ed Lu, Google’s program manager in advanced projects. He cited a Monday letter to President Barack Obama from a group of more than 45 companies and organizations like AT&T, Best Buy, CEA GE, Google and Intel (CED April 6 p4). The group urged initiating a White House-led effort to work in partnership with federal agencies, states and the industry to determine the best strategies, programs and policies to provide consumers access to their energy information. It also urged directing the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency and asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to add the availability of energy information to consumers. The group also sought support for the purchase and installation of technologies, devices and methods of delivery. It proposed convening a White House summit to address how to empower consumers with better information and tools for managing their energy use.

"We are encouraged that we have bipartisan support” on energy legislation that would be introduced in the Senate in the next several weeks, said Browner. “It’s important that we look at all tools available.” Finding ways to make more data available to consumers is critical, said Nick Sinai, the FCC energy and environment director. Energy efficiency is about high performance broadband, smart grid standards, access to data as well as better security and privacy, he said, saying the FCC is looking at all these issues.

CEO Charlene Begley of GE Home & Business Solutions sought government incentives to help accelerate the use of smart technologies. Smart devices “aren’t minor investments,” she said. Anything the government can do to incent manufacturers to invest in smart technologies and clean energy will be helpful, she said. She also asked for more regulatory certainty and more transparency in standardization. It’s critical to engage consumers, said Lorie Wigle, general manager of eco-technology program office at Intel. The company is looking at device opportunities including TV, she said.