Stricter enforcement of environmental and energy efficiency regulations, non-traditional competition, and changing consumer demands are behind major trends in the energy sector that are driving utilities to move away from conventional one-way delivery models.
To comply with requirements to reduce carbon footprints and improve efficiency, utilities are investing in distributed power generation and integration with renewable energy sources. Yet governments are not the only ones insisting on adding renewable energy sources to the grid; environmentally-aware consumers want more control over their energy consumption choices, including the option to produce their own energy and the flexibility to sell any surplus back to the utility. This requires utilities to shift to a two-way delivery and consumption model.
