Swept Away? How the Smart Grid Tsunami Could Destroy Utilities (And What to Do About It)

[Commentary] It's easy to figure a strategy for surviving a tidal wave ... run like hell for the high ground. It's more difficult to apply that thinking to the Smart Grid.

We can see the wave is about to hit the shore... but which way is the high ground? Should a utility start offering all sorts of new energy services behind the meter? Or become a wires-only utility and leave the new services to others? Or compete with the EnerNOCs of the world? Or partner with them? Or emigrate to New Zealand to herd sheep? Surviving this kind of turmoil requires a strategic re-adjustment, often best accomplished through the lens of the "Three Rs": 1) Recognizing the scope of the transformation, 2) Rethinking the organization's role, 3) Repositioning to optimize for the new role(s).