From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/pressroom/03222012
Responding to President Obama’s call for an “all-of-the-above” strategy to help consumers reduce their energy costs, the Administration announced today that nine major utilities and electricity suppliers will commit to providing more than 15 million households access to data about their own energy use with a simple click of an online “Green Button.” By providing consumers with secure, easy-to-understand information about how they are using energy in their households, Green Button can help them reduce waste and shrink bills.
Leveraging the commitments by the private sector, leading Federal agencies including the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology announced today that:
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Apps for Energy Contest to Spur Development of New Online and Mobile Tools – With initial co-sponsorship from the Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Itron, the Department of Energy announced today its first Apps for Energy contest to spur development of energy-related software applications, based on the Green Button standard, that will help consumers gain new insights, take action, and save on their utility bills. The contest complements a recently closed $8 million grant funding opportunity to help consumers better manage their energy consumption from new smart grid technologies.
- Providing Transparency to Consumers – The Department of Energy launched today an online map that enables utilities across the country to show the progress they are making towards providing their customers access to their own energy data in consumer-friendly and computer-friendly formats.
- Technical Assistance to Industry – The Smart Grid Interoperability Panel, a public-private partnership supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, announced today a new initiative to facilitate Green Button implementation for the electric industry.