Power Matching City Program for Energy Consumers

The Power Matching City program in the Netherlands unveils an innovative method of measuring energy consumption by consumers using a smart grid gadget, according to cleanenergyauthority. Cheon Fong Liew/flickr In Groningen and Hoogkerk, advanced smart grids were made in 2012 to connect the people during the first stage of the program. Today, forty households will be provided with tablets with software that will let them check and control their energy consumption. Six corporations and three academic institutes in the Netherlands sponsored the project. The second phase of the program is the first for energy consumers to fully engage themselves in the trials. The aim of this project is to get a net zero energy use from the participating households. “Since the consumer is not only provided with accurate insight into his energy consumption behavior, but also in the costs associated with this, he can control his own energy consumption on the basis of costs,” according to a release from the program. The release also said participants will use a smart energy system that automatically goes with the energy supply and demand in the household as well as among other participating households. They can find where the source of their power is and which household they have access to. The software also provides a complete report on their power consumption down to the five-minute mark. It is a groundbreaking project for the solar and renewable energy industry. It was also recognized at the 2012 United Nations Sustainability Summit as one of the most sustainable projects worldwide.