The importance of consumer participation in energy management is growing as the power grid evolves. Ensuring consumers have access to data and options for participating in energy efficiency, load management and distributed generation is a key benefit of recent technology advancements and one that many utilities are already utilizing.

Earlier this year, Landis+Gyr announced that Otter Tail Power Company will be deploying Landis+Gyr’s next generation grid edge sensor, the Revelo® meter. Revelo is designed to go beyond typical meter functions by analyzing and processing high-resolution waveform data at the meter, which provides exciting new possibilities for how information from voltage/current waveforms can be used to better manage energy on both sides of the meter.

To jumpstart these customer engagement benefits, Otter Tail Power signed an agreement with Landis+Gyr to implement SmartData Connect. An enhanced customer portal powered by MyMeter®, SmartData Connect provides access to a suite of features for electronic billing and payment, notifications, usage analysis and digital self service requests. Along with desktop digital access, SmartData Connect provides a fully native mobile app connecting customers to energy usage data and utility alerts.

“Consumers desire accessible and timely information about their energy use. With the help of SmartData Connect, our customers will have more visibility into this information, providing the opportunity to better manage their energy use,” said Matt Bucher, Otter Tail Power Company’s Manager of Customer Experience.

Research from organizations such as the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative confirms that consumers who have easy access to data and resources that help them save money are more likely to participate in programs that reduce energy use and share data for personalized insights. In fact, between 60 to 70 percent of survey participants say they are interested in information on rate plans, energy usage data with tips on saving and energy managing tools for saving money and reducing carbon footprint.

MyMeter®, the platform driving SmartData Connect, is a fully hosted software solution behind customer portals used by 108 electric, water and gas utilities across North America. In addition to rate analysis and comparison, the portal offers outage and leak notifications and full-service bill pay.