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throughthesmart meter andhomeenergymanagement system. Thisutility-supplied device
(discussed in more detail in Chapter 5 ) , and who owns and has access to the data it
generates, have become important issues for consumers, state regulators, and companies.
Because smart meters collect electricity use data at a much more granular level than analog
meters - minute to 15-minute to hourly increments - some consumers have expressed
concerns about privacy, as the smart grid could allow utilities or other third parties the
ability to “see” how electricity is being used inside the home or business. To manage
the vast amounts of data generated by AMI, meter data management systems have been
developed to automate and streamline the process of collecting meter data from multiple
meter data collection technologies and evaluate the data. Recent research on public
opposition to smart meters suggests that health concerns (microwave radiation from
wirelessmeters)havedominatedtheoppositionintheUnitedStatesandCanada,whilecost
and privacy concerns have played a larger role in Europe and Australia (Hess 2013 ) .
In addition to smart meters, other categories of smart grid technologies that contribute
to demand management and have potential for changing electricity consumption patterns
are consumer load appliances (programmable dishwashers, water heaters, refrigerators, air
conditioners, etc.) and consumer interface tools (home energy portals, web sites, cell phone
apps, etc.) that allow individuals and households to see their energy use and manage it.
With these integrated smart technologies, households could program washing machines or
other appliances to run at the lowest-cost times or they could give control to the utility to
control cycling of other appliances, such as air conditioning, refrigerators or water heaters,
in return for financial incentives.
The electrification of transport, through advances in electric vehicles, is another
technology that smart grid could enable. Electric vehicles have the potential to change
electricityconsumptionpatterns.Inconjunctionwithsmartmeters,plug-inelectricvehicles
can be charged during off-peak periods, and in some configurations, researchers envision
that the electric vehicle battery can serve as critical energy storage.
3.3.6 Systemwide Integrating Technologies for Smart Grid
In addition to the technologies mentioned above, smart grid offers a more holistic and
integrated approach to electricity system management. One systemic challenge with legacy
systems is the limited mechanisms for coordination and communication among those
managing the different parts of the system. In legacy systems management of transmission
and management of distribution, for example, are separate activities which occur in
different parts of the utility. One of the major promises of smart grid technologies is
to enable better integration of these previously separated management and operational
structures. Other technological advancements that relate to systemwide integration include
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