Toshiba Invests in Smart Grid

I've written critically about Ontario's inept actions in pursuit of a smart grid, but that doesn't mean there aren't serious actions being pursued elsewhere. 

Texas is a hot-bed of grid activity (and competitive markets both for generation and in the retailing of electricity) so it isn't surprising Toshiba found a company to purchase there to attempt to integrate a demand-side technology solution with their supply-side products.

Weekly Smart Grid Roll Up: Toshiba Buys Consert - Forbes:

...Toshiba‘s ambitions for Cosert are likely to reach beyond the home automation market.
The VPP platform complements Toshiba‘s μEMS micro energy management system, a supply-side load control application that manages the electric grid based on real-time consumption monitoring. The μEMS system relies primarily on distributed energy systems like solar PV and fuel cells to manage the electric grid. By contrast, the VPP is a demand response platform that manages load on the demand side to create capacity and other products for electric utilities."

Read the entire article at Forbes:



Having noted there is movement towards a smarter grid, I don't see any indication in Ontario to indicate spending made in the mane of a smart grid is being made intelligently (Here for my most recent writing on the topic).

Soon to be retired IESO leader Paul Murphy referred to some ongoing relationships, also well past their best before dates, in a recent speech:

There are some pretty encouraging signs ahead – what with the Green Button initiative that is being led by the MaRS institute and the Ministry’s recent Request for Information for storage

After billions being spent on smart grid equipment, and what passes for information technology in Ontario, more on the Green Button initiative, apparently being led by Toronto's highly credentialed low achievers at MaRs, can be found on the White House website.

Ontario's green button initiative may be different.  The White House claims the initiative is to empower consumers to save energy and money ... Ontario's intiative appears to be about sending money from consumers to MaRs; as for empowering consumers, Murphy's speech also included, "we have largely made decisions on behalf of the consumer."
More enslaving than empowering.