Behind and Beyond the Meter

Book excerpt: The historical ways in which electricity was generated in large central power plants and delivered to passive customers through a one-way transmission and distribution network – as everyone knows – is radically changing to one where consumers can generate, store and consume a significant portion of their energy needs energy locally. This, however, is only the first step, soon to be followed by the ability to share or trade with others using the distribution network. More exciting opportunities are possible with the increased digitalization of BTM assets, which in turn can be aggregated into large portfolios of flexible load and generation and optimized using artificial intelligence and machine learning. - Examines the latest advances in digitalization of behind-the-meter assets including distributed generation, distributes storage and electric vehicles and – more important – how these assets can be aggregated and remotely monitored unleashing tremendous value and a myriad of innovative services and business models - Examines what lies behind-the-meter (BTM) of typical customers and why managing these assets increasingly matter - Describes how smart aggregators with intelligent software are creating value by optimizing how energy may be generated, consumed, stored o potentially shared o traded and between consumers; prosumers and prosumagers (that is, prosumers with storage) - Explores new business models that are likely to disrupt the traditional interface between the incumbents and their customers