1. First Walmart, then Verizon - and now a how-to guide for
divorcing your utility
Quick Take: An Austin-based IT consultancy has just published a short guide on how to
"take your office off the grid." It doesn't really say much new, but it does illustrate a
concerning trend -- more and more businesses are coming to believe that grid divorce is
desirable and possible. This trend is strengthened by recent announcements from Walmart
and Verizon that they are working to make their locations as close to net zero as possible.
I don't think the net zero and grid divorce movements will seriously dent the bottom lines
of our nation's utilities this year or next. But a few years from now... if current trends
continue... it could become a real drag on load growth and earnings. - Jesse Berst
From our reports store: "Smart Grid Business 2012 to 2017," published
by Memoori, analyzes the smart grid market's size, technologies, finance
and needed investments, demand forecasts and more.
Last month we explained how Walmart's power plans have some challenging implications
for the current utility business model.

2. This week Verizon announced its divorce plans. It will invest $100 million in a solar and
fuel-cell energy project the company says will help power 19 of its facilities in seven states
across the country. When completed next year, Verizon says it will annually generate more
than 70 million kilowatt hours of its own green energy. (You can read the press release on
page 2.)
Now a how-to piece on the Journyx website offers a 5-step guide to taking your office off-
grid. Its author Brent Hardy notes:
"Office buildings in developed countries consume approximately 40% of the world's
energy. This is a staggering number, and one that business leaders are looking to change
with net-zero energy consumption in both new and existing buildings. A perfect example of
this movement is La Jolla Commons in San Diego, California, which will be completed in
2014 and will be the United States' largest net-zero office building to date."
His 5-step guide lists things like recycling water and fueling the office with solar energy.
How worried do you think utilities should be about the net zero/grid divorce movement,
and perhaps more important, how should they respond? Use the Talk Back comment form
to tell us what you think.
Reference Link: http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/publish/news/First-Walmart-then-Verizon-
and-now-a-how-to-guide-for-divorcing-your-utility-5731.html#.UbV-VeenqaJ