Remember that little box attached to the side of your house? You know, the one that keeps track of your electricity usage and requires a professional meter reader to come by and check the numbers, often leaving muddy tire tracks on your driveway?
With the onslaught of innovative technologies, it may finally be time to say goodbye to your local meter reader. San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is looking to switch out nearly 10 million old disc-and-dial meters with sleek, micro-chipped wireless "smart meters." A recent BusinessWeek article "Electricity Meters Spark a Debate" outlines some of the key advantages for the switch and why some critics oppose this new technology. Check out the full article to learn how smart meters can save electricity and streamline the business practices of the electricity industry. Then come back and tell me what you think about this costly but advantageous technology.
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3 comments:
Although advantageous, the upgraded technology in this case should be weighed against the cost factor to the consumer.
Elaine Shell
Sometimes, I think that the high initial costs of new technologies prevent significant advancements from being realized. The real question in this case is how much consumers and utility companies can benefit from this new technology. Will the benefits of smart meters offset and eventually surpass the costs?
What would happen to all of those cute meter readers?
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