GigaOM Pro

Utilities and big IT vendors are beginning to respond to demand for smart grid plans that benefit consumers.

This week, New Zealand’s environmental agency warned that smart meters being rolled out by the nation’s utilities aren’t smart enough. The problem? The smart meters do a great job of communication with the utilities, but they don’t talk to consumers’ home devices. “Without HAN capability, the benefits from smart meters almost entirely accrue to the retailer,” Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright told 3News. “Consumers will end up paying for meters that provide them [...]