Jeff St. John 09 22 09, 12:59 PM

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How Home Area Network Pilots Can Pay Off

There's a point to doing home area network pilot projects beyond making sure the technology works – they also prove they're worth the investment.

At least that's the case for Oklahoma Gas and Electric, which piloted a combination of Networks' smart meter communications and Greenbox Technology's in-home energy displays.

That pilot helped customers save about 10 percent to 15 percent on their power bills (see Smart Grid: Test Customers Give Thumbs Up). That, in turn, has given the utility the financial information to ask its state utility commission for permission to install smart meter-in home energy display combinations in about 43,000 more homes in Norman, Okla., said Ivo Steklac, the CEO of Greenbox, which is now being acquired by Silver Spring for an undisclosed amount (see Silver Spring Swallows Greenbox).

While OG&E hasn't yet received final approval for the project, word on that is expected in the next month, said Steklac, who previously worked for two decades with metering giants Elster and Schlumberger (see Trend Watch: Greenbox Lands Energy Industry Insider as CEO).

Nor has the utility necessarily picked Greenbox and Silver Spring for the job, he added, though he's hoping its previous experience with the two will help it pick them.

If OG&E gets approved for a Department of Energy smart grid stimulus grant is has asked for, that could expand its smart meter-home energy monitoring rollout to as many as one million customers, Steklac added.