You’re wandering the aisles of Sears, searching for a new, energy efficient refrigerator. A blue and white logo catches your eye – Energy Star, the gold standard for energy efficiency. That should make your choice easier.
Right?

Here’s Accenture’s take on the six core energy consumer segments found in the U.S., as reported in the consultancy’s most recent survey.

If people responsible for communicating about Smart Grid and smart meters think the roll-out is going to be a communications cake walk, consider this post, from the GreenMuze blog, that begins:
A plan by BC Hydro, together with certain financial interests, which has been hatched in secrecy, with zero public consultation, is being sprung on an uninformed population and now threatens our right to choose to live in safe environments. Gulf Islanders for Safe Technology, an ad hoc group formed to oppose “smart metering”, urges residents to examine Hydro’s ill-conceived plan to force a wireless electric power meter radiating at roughly 100 times the strength of a cell phone, 24/7, on every home and workplace.

Here’s the second key finding from Accenture’s recent global survey, “Revealing the Values of the New Energy Consumer”:
The opportunity to reduce the electricity bill remains the most important fact that would encourage consumers to adopt an electricity management program.

Via Treehugger.com: Speaking to a sold-out audience at WIRED's third annual conference, "Disruptive by Design," held Tuesday in New York City, Bill Gates warned that "cute" technologies related to energy efficiency, such as solar panels, LED lights and energy efficient buildings are economic, but do not deal with the bigger issue of climate change.

"Can we, by increasing efficiency [technologies], deal with our climate problem?" he asked, according to PC Magazine. "The answer there is basically no, because the climate problem requires more than 90 percent reduction of CO2 emitted, and no amount of efficiency improvement is enough," he added.

With summer on the way, Brian Palmer over at Slate Magazine ponders the relative environmental merits of central air conditioning versus in-window air conditioners. It's a thoughtful analysis, although one that doesn't really reach a definitive conclusion. Here's where Palmer lands:
Because of the construction and behavioral variables, it's impossible to pronounce a winner in this particular competition. As is often the case, the choice is often going to come down to each consumer's behavior. Generally speaking, the newfangled ductless system is going to be the most efficient but priciest option upfront. If you're choosing between an old-school central air system and window units, the latter could be better if you're childless, live in a large home in a dry environment, or tend to be forgetful about adjusting your thermostat.

Accenture’s latest global survey, “Revealing the Values of the New Energy Consumer”, examines the “beyond-the-meter” market, a growing playing field of in-home consumer technologies, demand-side management programs and related support services made possible by smart technologies.
Nontraditional players from product retailers to telecommunications companies are creating new choices for consumers – and new competitive pressures for utilities and electricity providers.

With 55 utility customers covering nearly 10 million homes, OPOWER is on a roll with its home energy management solutions. Smart Grid News recently spoke with Ogi Kavazovic, OPOWER’S vice president of marketing and strategy, to learn about the company’s secret sauce.
Here’s what OPOWER does to insure an unusually high level of customer engagement:

Today's New York Times Business Day section talks about an important aspect of the Smart Grid not getting nearly enough attention: security.
"A 'Smart' Grid Will Expose Utilities to Smart Computer Hackers" (http://nyti.ms/fAI6TP), by ClimateWire's Peter Behr, warns of the potential for significant damage to business and residential customers should a utility's grid be hacked.

Revolution in the Arab world. Disasters in Japan, both natural and manmade. The ongoing spectacle of government in Washington. And to top it all off? Charlie Sheen. There you have it, the first quarter of 2011.
If you’re feeling a touch untethered, you’re in good company.