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Beginning in 2010, the U.S. federal government launched a series of My Data initiatives, including the Green Button Initiative, to empower consumers with easy and secure access to their own personal data, which includes their Green Button energy usage data. The U.S. federal government continues to be an enabler of
personal data access
initiatives. Utilities and service providers are also working to engage with their customers, provide their customers with access to their energy usage data, administer energy efficiency programs, and meet increasing regulatory requirements. Vendors are developing and delivering powerful business and customer solutions that require secure access to customer data in a standard format─specifically what the Green Button standard was designed to enable.
This month we feature founding member Silver Spring Networks, Inc. in our "Member Spotlight." Read below how
Silver Spring's engagement portal, CustomerIQ, uses Green Button Download My Data and how its
SilverLink™
Data Platform
collects and manages connected device data, while enabling an open ecosystem of applications and can also provide a Green Button Connect My Data interface.
Members of the Green Button Alliance also continue to make security and smart grid customer data privacy a priority and are voluntarily adopting the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)
DataGuard Energy Data Privacy Program
which should help to further consumer awareness and assurance─as well as choice and consent.
As the energy industry continues to transform globally, utilities, energy service providers, vendors, and connected customers are increasingly requiring secure access to open, reliable customer energy usage data─made available through standards-based technology such as Green Button.
An energy-efficient future needs us today. We look forward to working with you.
─Syed Mir
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Silver Spring Networks, Inc.
has a long history of providing networking solutions for critical infrastructure, with over 22 million devices connected for utilities and cities on five continents. Since the early advanced metering infrastructure deployments in North America, Silver Spring has been helping its utility customers gain insights from interval data from meters and distribution devices across their customer footprints. Over the years, it has become clear that data access is the key to realizing the maximum benefit out of these smart grid investments.
Silver Spring and Green Button
Silver Spring's
CustomerIQ
engagement portal, an application that uses smart meter and billing data to educate customers about their energy usage, gives consumers the ability to download their energy data. CustomerIQ's data download uses Green Button Download My Data.
Silver Spring then launched the
SilverLink™ Data Platform
with the goal of helping utilities cope with massively increasing heaps of data as new sensor technology drives increasing data granularity. Simultaneously, there are growing demands for new applications and business processes based on the promise of ubiquitous connected data sources. Traditional hardware, software, and organizational boundaries are moving quickly. Requirements for real-time and mobile operations are increasing; as are the number of software vendors turning data into insights.
The SilverLink Data Platform is designed to process and store the vast array of data produced by these new connected devices and sensors. It also enables easy app development and integrations via standard APIs. The SilverLink Data Platform collects data from connected devices, organizes it in one place, and prevents unnecessary integration pains; while maintaining an open ecosystem of applications available through the
SilverLink App Store
. Silver Spring Networks is committed to helping manage the transformation toward the highly connected data-driven utility infrastructure of the future.
Looking Forward
The motivation behind building the SilverLink Data Platform is very closely aligned with the objectives of the Green Button initiative: to facilitate data access in a standardized manner and provide application enablement, while maintaining security as a primary goal. In addition to data storage, processing, and access for utility analytics, the SilverLink Data Platform can also provide a Green Button Connect My Data interface.
As a longstanding supporter of open standards, interoperability, and putting security first, Silver Spring Networks is proud to be a part of the Green Button Alliance.
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Chai Energy's
mobile app for iOS
collects Green Button energy usage data directly from a customer's utility and informs them of how much electricity they're using, how much it'll cost, and provides a full range of personalized energy conservation and efficiency tips. Chai Energy recently announced the Chai Solar feature that analyzes a customer's energy usage and local weather patterns to determine if installing solar panels will save customers additional money. Chai users can also upgrade to the
Chai Energy Pro
, an energy gateway that collects real-time utility data from a user's smart meter. Chai recently opened a public pilot program in California; read about it
here
.
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In the headlines...
This recent blog by Open Energy Efficiency LLC, "Efficiency is a Resource, Data is the Fuel," explains energy efficiency is a grid resource and a business opportunity for the energy industry. Green Button Alliance member PG&E's new Share My Data 2.0 based on Green Button Connect My Data is highlighted.
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The Green Button Alliance is in process of enhancing its
web site
and has moved to the MemberClicks platform
─a
dditional features and functionality coming soon!
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The 2016 Open Data Roundtables
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The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Center for Open Data Enterprise will co-host four Open Data Roundtables in 2016. The Roundtables will bring together participants from federal agencies, academia, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations to identify case studies, lessons learned and best practices in open data across the federal government. The first 2016 Open Data Roundtable, Protecting Privacy,
will be held March 24, 2016.
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The
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), in pa
rtnership with Greentown Labs, will host the
5th Annual Boston Cleanweb Hackathon
from April 1-3, 2016. The two-day technology challenge invites participants to compete to create user-friendly web and mobile applications designed to help consumers and businesses use energy and natural resources more efficiently. Cash and prizes will be awarded to the winners. For more information and to register for the event, click
here
.
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For a current listing of Green Button meetings, activities, and related industry events including the Utility Analytics Summit 2016, April 4-6, in San Diego, California; the 2016 RESO Spring Conference, April 19-21, in Chicago, Illinois; and CS Week 2016, April 25-29, in Phoenix, Arizona; please visit GBA's
calendar
.
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Barry Haaser, Executive Director
Jeremy J. Roberts, General Manager
Donald F. Coffin, Technical Manager
Valdis Hellevik, PR Manager
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