MNN - Mother Nature Network

On Tuesday, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that Recovery Act-funded smart grid projects have reached a new milestone – the installation of two million new smart meters. That is two million consumers and businesses that can now actively monitor their energy use and make on the fly changes to improve their energy efficiency and save money.

 

Chu made the announcement during an appearance at the Batelle headquarters in Ohio.

"As a result of an unprecedented investment from the Recovery Act, smart meters are being installed in Ohio and across the country to create a more reliable, modern electrical grid and give consumers the ability to monitor and control their energy use. Smart Grid technologies will give consumers choice and promote energy savings, increase energy efficiency, and foster the growth of renewable energy resources." Source: DOE

I’m just one of the two million customers and I’ve already made changes in my electricity use to save money on my monthly energy bills. If everyone that has a new smart meter makes similar changes, we could see a four percent reduction in annual energy use by 2030 as smart meters and other smart grid technologies continue to be installed across the country. This four percent reduction in energy use would allow consumers and business owners to save more than $20 billion on their annual energy bills.