FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29th, 2016
The Mission:data Coalition, a coalition of technology companies delivering data-driven energy savings to consumers, applauds last week’s Illinois Commerce Commission order directing Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois Company to take the first step to provide consumers with electronic access to their own electricity usage data gathered by advanced meters, helping consumers save energy and money.
“Although important work remains to be done, this order represents an important first step in positioning Illinois as a leader in empowering consumers and embracing new building energy management technologies,” said Jim Hawley, Director of the Mission:data Coalition. “With Illinois joining California, Texas and recently New York in embracing the 'Green Button Connect My Data' standard, we are seeing real momentum in the development of a national market for the next generation of energy management technologies.”
“Illinois’s new advanced meters generate interval usage data that will enable consumers to benefit from new dynamic pricing options, improved energy efficiency offerings and in-home energy management technologies,” said Michael Murray, Mission:data’s Chief Technology Strategist. “Providing consumers convenient, easy access to their own usage data and the ability to pick innovative energy management tools of their choice are key prerequisites to ratepayers realizing the benefits from Illinois’s investment in advanced metering.”
The Commission order establishes the process by which Illinois consumers can obtain and control access to their electricity usage data. The order prescribes a standardized authorization form and establishes that Green Button Connect My Data -- a secure, nationally-recognized system -- will be the method of electronic delivery. Both Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois Company have said they will implement Green Button Connect My Data, an automated method for ongoing energy management technologies.
The Commission will now consider the final steps to ensure consumer data access as part of the “Open Data Access Framework” proposed by Citizens’ Utility Board and Environmental Defense Fund.
The Mission:data Coalition is a coalition of more than 35 energy management technology companies helping residential and business consumers save energy through advanced, data-driven technologies. The coalition works in states throughout the country on behalf of consumer-friendly data access policies to help consumers save energy and money. More information about the Mission:data Coalition can be found at www.missiondata.org.