For example, if you call up your local utility and ask for your neighbor's consumption, they will tell you to get lost.
Duh. Some kind of opt-in is going to be required for other people's data. The bigger problem is that if you call up the utility and ask for your own power data from your smart meter they will tell you to get lost, because even though they have the data they have no software that can send it to you.
[Google] have the infrastructure and the incentive, as consumption information will be a prized commodity, which only they will be able to get access.
Unfortunately, this is probably right, although Google says they're going to make it open: "We believe that detailed data on your personal energy use belongs to you, and should be available in an open standard, non-proprietary format. You should control who gets to see your data, and you should be free to choose from a wide range of services to help you understand it and benefit from it."
(Note: I'm assuming that smart meters are a solved problem. I already have one.)
I am not sure why consumption information is kept private. In Florida you can get this pretty freely for public utilities and I have not heard of any issues because of it.
Smart meters do not come without some controversy. They are expensive and it has not been shown the cost can be offset by the variable rates. This is why my utility has them implemented on a voluntary basis
Duh. Some kind of opt-in is going to be required for other people's data. The bigger problem is that if you call up the utility and ask for your own power data from your smart meter they will tell you to get lost, because even though they have the data they have no software that can send it to you.
[Google] have the infrastructure and the incentive, as consumption information will be a prized commodity, which only they will be able to get access.
Unfortunately, this is probably right, although Google says they're going to make it open: "We believe that detailed data on your personal energy use belongs to you, and should be available in an open standard, non-proprietary format. You should control who gets to see your data, and you should be free to choose from a wide range of services to help you understand it and benefit from it."
(Note: I'm assuming that smart meters are a solved problem. I already have one.)