The smart grid has many conceptions of what it should be doing for its customers who will be the ones ultimately financing its creation. One good conception for the smart grid is a “smart grid ecosystem,” in which the utilities, markets, and customers are all “smart.” From the utilities, customers might want a variety of energy resources to choose from and keep the output stable. At the same time, customers want education and empowerment, in which they can take advantage of demand response programs (which benefit everyone) and easily monitor and control their own energy usage.

Read the full article here: How Nest Labs Shows the Smart Grid Can Work