The smart grid homeowner: An IT guru?

The promises of smart grid for the average consumer will require both voluntary, non-technical changes in their consumption behavior, or that and the installation of some technology in their home that enables their desire to participate to be enacted on their behalf. For the latter case, the reality of a retail friendly experience is not yet realized. There are challenges beyond what for many is a daunting part of their home life...becoming a network administrator for their internet service and pool of computing devices. The installation, commissioning and maintenance of a sensor network to obtain actionable data blends electrical knowledge, business skills and somewhat advanced information technology capabilities to make this a reality. This paper explores the practical challenges of installing, commissioning and maintaining an in-home sensor network.