Trade Group Advises Obama on Advancing the Smart Grid

The Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition issued on Tuesday policy recommendations to President-elect Barack Obama and the incoming Congress that the association contends will stimulate the economy, enhance infrastructure and create green jobs.

One of the goals of the trade association of smart-grid technology providers, if realized, could create green jobs for IT professionals.

Provide electricity customers with new information, technologies and tools to control their electricity bills and increase their energy efficiency practices With electricity prices rising and consumer budgets being stretched, it is essential to provide customers with new energy saving tools, including new pricing structures and rates, as well as better information and feedback about how they use electricity. This will give them new ability to lower their electricity bills.

What's needed is not just more information and tools to let consumers make smart decisions on energy use, but technology to automate the entire process, without regular human intervention, as outlined in Tom Friedman's Hot, Flat and Crowded: an energy Internet.