The development of the smart grid is really about unleashing and managing a whole lot of data about energy — where, when, how and how much energy is produced, consumed and moved around the network. That data could come from deep within the power grid at sensor points called phasor measurement units (PMU), or could be collected at the edge of the network via a connected, smart appliance or dashboard, or at power generation facilities such as solar or wind farms.

While much of this kind of data (at least the limited amount that has been available from the unsophisticated power grid) has traditionally been housed in utility back offices, entrepreneurs and developers that helped build the Internet are increasingly leading the way on opening up access to what will be an explosion of energy information coming from the smart grid. By leveraging open APIs, and mirroring the creation of the web and computing, entrepreneurs and companies can create a flourishing ecosystem around energy information that can deliver innovative and game-changing energy applications.

More here.