Smart home technology is one of the fastest growing industries, thanks in part to devices and services such as Nest, Ecobee, Google Home, Amazon Echo and Apple. Research from Parks Associates from its Q4 2019 survey of 10,000 broadband households found that over 41% of US broadband households now own a smart home device, a 20% growth rate from one year ago. With all this connectivity in the home and enablement to better monitor, manage and control appliances, lighting and security that it brings to the consumer, what role does all of this ability bring to the grid? Utilities are forging ahead with bold efforts targeted at grid modernization, much of which focuses on greater situational awareness and action. In the connected home, consumers are also focusing not only on awareness, but conditional actions based on comfort, convenience and logical actions. Are we at the nexus of both of these innovations, can the grid benefit and support the smart home and vice versa? Denise Ernst, Vice President of Parks Associates, discussed all this with EnerNex host Ron Chebra live from DistribuTECH 2020 in San Antonio.

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