Power Tabs and BC Hydro
As I’m sure many of my classmates understand, I’ve been thinking a lot about the research we’ve had to do about BC Hydro’s Smart Meter program. BC residents are resisting the mandatory installation of smart meters across the province, and the general opinion of the program is not very good. What with health concerns and privacy issues all arising in heated discussion, the discussion about the Power Tab in lecture really tied the material of Business Fundamentals and Organizational Behaviour together.
Ignoring the validity of public concerns about the smart meters, the fact remains that people are not happy about them. And if people, for whatever reason, don’t want smart meters installed outside their homes, the market for a device that communicates directly with a smart meter seems limited.
The Power Tab’s popularity and success in other countries is encouraging, but the differences in attitudes between BC and the rest of the world seem to make our province an nonviableĀ market. The day may come when BC Hydro either manages to convince the public of the virtues of the smart meter, or the public manages to overturn the law that provides for mandatory smart meter installation, but until then, it may be wise for Energy Aware to steer clear of British Columbia.