The BlueBolt system from Panamax/Furman monitors and controls devices from the cloud.
Some energy monitoring services becoming available will route information about a home’s energy use, and offer energy-saving suggestions and recommendations, through the “cloud,”—meaning it’s all on the Internet.
Some fear Big Brother-like intrusions, especially if the service is from the electric utility as part of their smart grid offerings. And some energy management systems, like Intel’s, will keep all the information local. Others, like Cisco’s, will be cloud-based, but only with a customer’s permission.
Here’s what some vendors of smart grid-based energy management systems have to say on this cloudy subject:
- “People want their data to be there. There are concerns with cloud-based services, such as ‘what are you doing with my data?’ We want to do the data collection locally, then you opt in to services on the web.” –Ryan Parker, director of marketing for Intel Embedded and Communications Group
- “Privacy and security are completely intertwined. We believe the owners of that data should be the consumers themselves, and they should choose what data to share.” –Scott Ballantyne, VP of Marketing for Tendril
The latter is the likeliest scenario. Privacy issues will have to be respected by utilities and vendors. Then again, we put sensitive info at risk each time we order something online.
Our bet?
We’ll be seeing a lot more cloud-based energy management solutions, whether or not they are tied to utility-based Smart Grid programs. One example is the BlueBolt system from Panamax/Furman, which establishes an Internet link to some of the company’s power conditioning and UPS (uninterruptible power supply) devices. (Two of the models thus far require a $249 add-on card.)
The system can be used to monitor the energy consumption of those components plugged into the power conditioner or UPS; cut power to the devices automatically to cut vampire power loads; conduct reboots of devices; and monitor the systems remotely. The convenience of the cloud here is both for the user and the dealer, the latter of whom can eliminate unnecessary truck rolls.
