Triliant is a company that makes equipment and software for energy-efficiency programs aimed at “smoothing out the load on the power grid by dialing down energy use at homes and businesses.”  The company announced recently that they’ve raised an estimated $40 million in equity funding to expand its cause, which represents the largest single-round smart-grid investments to date.

The company has a unique approach to helping out with the energy crises that’s becoming more prevalent everyday.  Triliant uses a mesh network architecture where meters and gateways use different wireless protocols to transmit information from homes and businesses back to utilities back-office systems to create a remote-operating environment, according to CNet.  What this means is that utility companies, during peak times, can lessen the demand on its grids by doing things like remotely raising the temperature on air conditioners or tweaking equipment at industrial facilities for example. 

With the large investment, Triliant looks to expand its technology and start incorporating into the places its needed most.  While it’s a relatively new idea, smart grid projects have already made themselves known by a variety of companies.  Utility companies are seeking out energy efficiency technologies to make electricity distribution more reliable and to potentially avoid construction of new power plants.  Utility companies are helping in the cause, as well as helping speed adoption of the technology, by offering consumers an incentive to participate in smart-grid programs which can reduce energy bills by about 10 percent.

The overall idea seems smart, but I’m not sure how it will affect normal home consumers.  I don’t think consumers will appreciate the fact that their utility companies have the power to turn down their thermostat remotely, or control the comfort level in their homes without them having any say.  I think where the technology will really shine, is with large-scale manufacturing plants and other entities that consume a large amount of energy.  This is where the benefits would outweigh the problems that could arise. 

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Entry was posted on Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 at 3:34 pm under Green Technology, Science and technology.

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