Robots + smart grid = Itron

I love it. Apparently this is creating jobs in South Carolina.

 http://roboticsonline.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/robots-for-the-smart-grid-make-jobs-in-south-carolina/

Here's a quote from someone at Itron:

We believe we have to create a vision of the factory of the future (and robots are so important because they) enable us at Itron to manufacture in the United States of America in a very cost effective and efficient way.  

- Michael Higgins, General Manager of Operations, Itron.

If that wasn't cool enough, Itron is also supporting STEM-robotics efforts of First Robotics with a local team. https://www.itron.com/newsAndEvents/Pages/Itron-Supports-Oconee-SC-Robotics-Team.aspx

Jeremy Rifkin is one of the folks who wants energy to be "democratized". http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/26/jeremy-rifkin-democratization-of-energy-green-technology_n_980222.html

Smart grid could help with that, but there's a long way to go. The Internet with all the familiar consumer aspects is having a hard enough time moving through things like cybersecurity and privacy, but ultimately the smart grid -- one manifestation of the "Internet of Things -- will lead to more innovation and better options for stakeholders, both consumers and new ventures alike. That is, provided, that incumbents don't kill off such progress through the normal means (politics, regulatory attacks, etc.).

The guys and gals at Consumer Energy Solutions in Clearwater, Florida sent me a holiday card once, I wonder what they've been up to lately. As I recall, they've looked at deregulation opportunities for a while.
http://www.consumerenergysolutions.com/energy-deregulation.php

Recently, the State of Maryland has seen considerable controversy over BG&E's proposal to install smart electric meters.  the Maryland result, I'm not sure how much impact there was from small, citizen groups like this one: http://www.change.org/petitions/we-say-no-to-wireless-smart-meters-in-the-state-of-maryland
and this,
http://marylandsmartmeterawareness.org/industry-says/

As frustrated as BG&E likely is now, at least Maryland isn't Bolivia, which recently nationalized its electricity grid:
 http://www.unoentrerios.com.ar/mundo/Evo-Morales-nacionalizo-la-filial-de-Red-Electrica-Espaola--20120501-0017.html








How much could the US move away from government-centric grid to one that looked more like the privatized Internet technology industry? Probably the limiting factor is that electricity is regulated as much if not more than the "telecommunications" industry, which turns to the Federal Communications Commission for regulation. In the electricity space there's even more government control, and at both the federal (FERC, NERC) level and the State level.