The ‘Bring Your Own Device’ Movement Is a Vital Component of the Smart Grid
…..BYOD was born in the enterprise mobile industry, where BlackBerry dominated for many years. Then came iPhone and Android, creating a diverse range of mobile devices for employees. Workplaces reconfigured their servers, platforms and policies so that they worked effectively and securely across a range of mobile devices. Employees got to use their favorite devices, while businesses benefited from more productive, plugged-in workers.
The utility market is about to undergo the same kind of transformation. The smart-home device market is projected to double in the next two years. Smart thermostats from Nest and ecobee have become objects of desire; the Philips Hue connected light bulb is sold in the Apple store; and Tesla car sales have soared 50 percent over a year ago. (Yes, we’re counting electric cars as home energy devices, as they can be essential components of residential demand response and time-of-use programs.)
Utilities have begun to capitalize on this wave of new smart-home devices to achieve greater visibility into customer energy usage patterns, manage demand response, and drive participation in demand-side management programs.
