On Thursday, June 16, 2011, I had the pleasure to attend the San Francisco Business Times Cleantech Awards ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco. I attended with our Chief Operating Officer, Salim Khan, to represent Trilliant. Trilliant was honored as one of the 15 finalists out of 200+ nominations for the Cleantech award.
The 2011 awards honored companies that are working on groundbreaking innovations, pioneering and championing environmental sustainability in the Bay Area to address climate change and boost the economy.
Winners were selected based on the strengths of their nominations, the innovation behind their technology, and the potential to achieve a lasting positive environmental impact.
For those of you who are not in the industry, Trilliant is a Silicon Valley-based global Smart Grid technology leader who provides communications solutions that transform the way we manage, monitor, and consume energy. Smart what? You may ask. Smart Grid -- making our energy infrastructure "smart" so we can avoid blackouts, better manage our energy use and costs, integrate renewable energy resources (e.g. solar, wind), plug in our electric vehicles, and have a more sustainable environment for our future generations and beyond.
"Hmmm..., is this smart grid the same as smart meter? I've read a lot of negative stories about smart meters. Not sure I'm fully on board."
Well, it's understandable you may be a bit cautious. There has indeed been some negative press about smart meters in our own backyard lately. However, please allow me to first explain that smart grid does not equal smart meters. Smart meters are just one application of the whole end-to-end Smart Grid. In contrast to merely smart meters, the Smart Grid connects the whole energy grid, from generation, to transmission, to distribution, to the meters, to beyond the meters -- inside our homes and buildings -- and extending all the way to distributed energy resources such as solar panels, energy storage, and electric vehicles.The Smart Grid will give our energy providers visibility into the way electricity is flowing, letting them fix problems fast. It will empower us with information on how we use energy, so we can choose to use it more wisely. It is our power, our choice.
When implemented correctly, with the crucial consumer engagement and education, smart meters and the Smart Grid are here to help us. Smart meters are good, but they're only the tip of the iceberg. The next step is to extend that intelligence further into the grid, and into the home. We’re going to see a series of game-changing applications. Picture, for example, a charger for electric cars that automatically turns on when rates are at their lowest for the day. Imagine having solar panels on our rooftop that not only power our house but also feed any excess electricity that’s produced back into the grid -- energy we get paid for. Trilliant is among a handful of leading global companies creating this energy future.
It's essential to articulate the value propositions of the smart grid. When consumers realize the benefits of a next-generation grid -- the ability to better manage our energy use and costs -- we won't just want a modern grid, we will demand it. Fortunately, there are great examples around the world on how leading utilities have successfully rolled out smart meters and smart grid; with full support and enthusiasm from end-consumers like you and me. One example of a utility getting it right is Hydro One Networks, a Trilliant's customer in Canada. Hydro One uses interactive animations on the web and well-planned consumer education not only to build enthusiasm, but also to empower their consumers. Understanding the power of the smart grid is the first step in unleashing it.
Now, let's go back to the SF Business Times' Cleantech awards ceremony. We waited for the winner announcement with great anticipation. Here came the emcee...Here came the photographer...Images flashed on the screen. And...the winner for the Smart Grid category is...(drum roll, please)...Trilliant, teaching the smart grid of tomorrow to "talk." Clap, clap, clap. Short acceptance speech. Out came the blackberries and iphones. Cameras click-click-clicked. For here we were, clean technology innovators from Redwood City and Oakland and San Francisco, in the very room where cleantech czars work their magic. We were honored to be selected winner of the 2011 Cleantech award. Thank you.
If you are interested to read more about Trilliant's win and all the other leading Bay Area cleantech companies, please click here.
Visit Sonita's expert profile or send her an email if you'd like to discuss more about the smart grid or clean technology.
Comments