GRID 21 has launched The Biggest Energy Saver Consumer Contest. This first-of-its-kind contest challenges Texas residents whose electricity is delivered by CenterPoint Energy’s electric operations business and Oncor to reduce their electricity consumption through the use of smart meter data.
Taking place from Aug. 1 – Sept. 30, 2011, participants who can reduce their energy consumption and demonstrate how those reductions can be sustained over time may be eligible to win the grand prize of a 2011 Chevy Volt, a first prize suite of GE smart kitchen appliances, or a second prize single GE smart appliance. Additionally, other top competitors will receive Tendril In-Home Network suites.
The consumer contest is part of a GRID 21-sponsored program called The Biggest Energy Saver Campaign. The Campaign was created by Oncor and CenterPoint Energy, with founding technology partners Itron and Landis+Gyr. IBM is also a collaborator on the program. The Campaign is designed to educate consumers about the benefits of using data from their residential smart meters to manage energy consumption and includes three components: the Consumer Contest, the creation of an Online Community at www.BiggestEnergySaver.com and an Application Developer Contest which began in July 2011.
With more than 3 million meters installed in Texas by CenterPoint Energy and Oncor, as well as other significant grid investments to improve reliability and grow the nation-leading wind energy portfolio, these Texas electric customers will be the largest group of participants in the inaugural Biggest Energy Saver Campaign.
The Biggest Energy Saver Campaign encourages customers to track their consumption via the Smart Meter Texas portal, in-home displays that may be available through a retail electric provider, and through applications created by software developers in the Application Developer Contest. Use of in-home displays and applications in the contest is optional.
