Mark McGranaghan: Ownership is a Relationship

This posted to smartgrid@ostp.gov by Mark McGranaghan , EPRI

Q1-2: Ownership of home energy usage is typically determined by the relationship between the utility and the consumer. Existing precedence for sharing information with third parties already exists, primarily for large Commercial and Industrial customers who can participate in competitive electric retail electric supply markets and also in retail natural gas supply markets. In these markets, third parties can gain access to consumer energy consumption when authorized by both parties and is in common practice today. Texas has established precedent for similar arrangements in the residential market.

Q3: If the smart meter is a gateway for providing information to consumers and devices in the premises, it should be very possible for consumers and other third-party service providers to access the information as appropriate. Security and privacy procedures would obviously be required to manage this access.

Note that price and demand response signals originate somewhere other than the meter and may be provided to end devices equally well through utility networks or other means. Both means can provide the data easily, and both can provide it in a timely fashion.

Usage data originates at the meter (at least usage data that is directly correlated with rates and the bill) and may be provided locally to devices in the home or may be collected to a central application before being provided to the home. In the latter case, the data would experience some time-delay (system dependent).