Why should an everyday homeowner care that the smart grid can increase the U.S. electric grid’s efficiency by 9 percent? And what does that amount to in terms of energy and monetary savings? We created our Smart Grid: Where Power is Going infographic to highlight visually those savings and what they actually mean to consumers.
“Using this visual, consumers can understand how a smart grid saves money and energy in one’s everyday life,” said Patty Durand, SGCC’s Executive Director. “We ask utilities, educators and those speaking to community groups to take full advantage of this resource to help explain the benefits of a smarter grid. So please Tweet it, e-mail it, Facebook it — spread the word,” she said.
The effort aims to connect the consumer with the smart grid, by explaining it simply and driving home the many benefits of smart grid technology, including: cost savings, energy efficiency, improved outage detection and resolution, and environmental benefits, among others.
“By highlighting the conveniences and benefits the smart grid can bring to consumers, the SGCC and its members can help consumers understand the smart grid just as they understand other, consumer-friendly, ‘smart’ technologies they wouldn’t consider living without – such as a smart phone, computer or television.”