As we’ve highlighted before on NextGenWeb, the smart grid is possible because of the high-speed broadband networks connecting homes and utilities all across America. And it is thanks to the billions of dollars annually invested by America’s broadband providers that today make the promise of the smart grid closer to a reality.

Present on the panel were two representatives from two of those broadband providers leading the charge – AT&T and Verizon. Jeff Brueggeman, Vice President for Public Policy at AT&T, stated that a conversation about the smart grid must start by thinking about the full range of communications needs that enable the smart grid. The challenge, according to Brueggeman, is managing huge amounts of data that flow over the networks. This is why state of the art broadband networks are needed in order to ensure that seamless flow of data and information.

Larry Plumb, Executive Director of Emerging Issues and Technology Policy at Verizon, began by stating that Verizon sees the smart grid as a business opportunity. A good business model is to invest in what consumers really want. In this case, consumers want to save money and reduce their energy consumption, which the smart grid is allowing to happen. We caught up with Plumb following the panel to further elaborate on the idea of the smart grid as a business opportunity (see below).

During the audience Q&A, a question was posed of what affect the Net neutrality and other broadband regulation debates going on in Washington may have on smart grid policy. In near unanimity, the panelists echoed that network provider’s ability to manage their services will be key to realizing the full potential of the smart grid moving forward. To read more about the managed broadband services debate, click here.

Wade says that the smart grid is having a huge impact on electricity consumers.  He introduced the smart grid as “intelligent, self-healing, and interactive,” and went on to enumerate the following benefits:

• Reduce outage times by 40%, which thereby reduces the costs of power disruptions correspondingly
• Real time interaction with millions of devices leading to reduce peak usage by 100MW
• Give consumers tools to use energy more efficiently, thereby helping manage usage and costs

Even with all of these benefits, Wade says they are still testing ways to further improve their system.  I’d say this is a great start!

Read more on Chattanoonga’s Smart Grid system here!

The report, titled “The Telepresence Revolution”, looks into how these products and services are reducing carbon emissions, providing energy-efficient alternatives to business travel, and reducing costs. A few of the interesting finding are below. You may also be interested in a recent NextGenWeb interview with Beth Shiroishi of AT&T discussing the study.

· At an economy-wide view, by 2020 US and UK businesses with annual revenues of more than $1 billion can cut nearly 5.5 million CO2 emissions as a result of deploying almost 10,000 telepresence units. These reductions are equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from over one million passenger vehicles.

· US firms can reduce CO2 by 112,000 tonnes in 2010 to 963,000 tonnes in 2020. A total of almost 4.6 million tonnes in cumulative CO2 cuts.

· For US firms, net financial benefits from telepresence increase from $315 million in 2010 to over $3.5 billion in 2020. A total of over $15 billion in ten years.

A recent briefing on Capitol Hill hosted by the Clean Economy Network and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) touched on how broadband is enabling consumer energy tools and the smart grid. Smart grids are being developed across the country, and they will change the amount of control that consumers have over their energy consumption and monthly bills like never before. Presenters at the briefing focused their comments on how broadband providers and utility companies can work together to ensure that smart grids become commonplace.

Following the event, NextGenWeb caught up with Mike Brander, Vice President of Sales for Utility and Industrial at Verizon Wireless, and Tim Greeff, Political Director if the Clean Economy Network, to further discuss the role broadband is playing in enabling the smart grid.

Click below to view interviews as well as complete archived footage of the briefing.

After the event, NextGenWeb was able to interview Beth Shiroishi of AT&T to discuss the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) “Telepresence Report.” Using technology for business purposes is a growing trend among companies today. Now companies no longer have to send employers to events miles away. All work and discussions can be held over innovative online technologies. The telepresence approach to holding virtual meetings can save a $1 billion company nearly 900 business trips a year and reduce CO2 emissions up to 2,271 metric tons over five years. This type of technology also allows the employee to attend multiple events per day without affecting their work or personal life.

To hear more about Carbon Disclosure Project’s “Telepresence Report” watch the interview below with Beth Shiroishi.

Green Jobs – As we transition to a greener economy, the increased demand for greater energy efficiency creates incredible potential for growth in the green jobs sector.  Mark Doms, a Chief Economist at the Department of Commerce, says that although the green economy is currently just 1-2% of the economy, with the right policies and investments, this could be an important area of growth.  Supporting this trend, fellow panelist Bob Nelson, President of CWG Midwest cited data from the growth of his e-waste recycling company, like the 20% increase in the recycling of cell phones.

Smart Jobs – Panelists were quick to note that often our job concerns focus on manufacturing, when the real opportunities for growth are in services and other “skilled, high wage” businesses.  Georgetown Business Professor J. Bradford Jensen says the smart business service sector is 25% of all jobs (vs. only 10% in manufacturing), suggesting this is where we need to focus.  Paul Delaney, a representative from FedEx Express concurred, even noting that IBM 20 years ago was about 80% manufacturing and 20% services now is 80% services and 20% manufacturing.

Broad(band) Jobs – Robert Shapiro, a Senior Policy Fellow at the Georgetown Center, brought to light the economic reality that job creation has now declined relative to economic growth, and therefore, we can no longer be complacent about job growth. He believes that broadband deployment will be key to new jobs, generating job growth in infrastructure, devices, and applications.  Fellow panelist Nicol Turner-Lee agreed noting that with increased digital literacy opportunities, minority and low-income communities could benefit from economic success.

Shapiro also noted that communities with broadband had more job growth than those without, demonstrating the increased labor value of those who work with these technologies.  He says we need policies that support investment in broadband and cautioned the Administration and Congress about policy changes that could weaken these investments.

Read more about broadband and jobs in this report from the Brookings Institute and this report from ITIF, and watch the video below for more from Robert Shapiro.

Among the headlining speakers that included Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Sierra Club Executive Chair Carl Pope, and U.S. Senator John Kerry at the Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference was Jim Cicconi, AT&T’s Senior Executive Vice President for External & Legislative Affairs. AT&T offered a unique perspective among an array of green activists and politicians, by talking about the important contributions that broadband is making to our green economy and low carbon future.

Cicconi began by thanking fellow conference participants, including the Blue Green Alliance for their recent report, Networking the Green Economy: How Broadband and Related Technologies Can Build a Green Economic Future. The report talks about the potential of broadband to spur job growth through the development of smart buildings, smart grids, telehealth, teleconferencing, and digital education. Cicconi also referenced the Smart 2020 report, which found that the large-scale adoption of broadband in the United States can reduce CO2 emissions by 13 to 22 percent by 2020 “by transforming the way people and businesses use technology.”

Cicconi touted the $55 billion that AT&T has invested in their networks over the past three years, and outlined plans to invest between $18 and $19 billion this year, an increase of 5 to 10 percent over last year. It is precisely this level of investment that will power our green job future. Finally, Cicconi reminded the audience of the need to maintain the kind of climate conducive to these kinds of capital investments, which are so critical in increasing deployment and adoption of the green technologies that were highlighted at the event.

Click below to watch archived footage of Cicconi’s remarks.

This year, we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight what some of America’s broadband service providers are doing to celebrate Earth Day. AT&T is the exclusive mobile phone sponsor of this year’s Earth Day celebration on the national mall. They are also supporting Earth Day Network’s “1 Billion Acts of Green Campaign.” Some of the initiatives for this campaign include the AT&T ZERO Charger, the first mobile phone charger that does not waste power when plugged in but not in use; a transition to smaller packaging for wireless accessories; and the rolling out of its 1000th alternative-fuel vehicle. To see more about the AT&T Green Fleet, check out NextGenWeb’s video from last year’s SuperComm below!

Verizon has launched a comprehensive sustainability campaign aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the green initiatives that make up this campaign include adding 1,600 alternative energy vehicles to Verizon’s fleet; partnering with the utility sector to help increase deployment of smart-grid technology; and teaming up with Motorola to produce eco-friendly set top boxes for FiOS TV customers. To learn more about the sustainability campaign, check out this video entitled “How Verizon is reducing its carbon footprint.”

Not only is broadband playing a vital role in the green movement, but America’s broadband service providers are leading the way through original sustainability campaigns that demonstrate their commitment to the cause. We hope that you will join NextGenWeb in finding new and innovative ways to utilize broadband for the ultimate goal of preserving our planet. And feel free to share your broadband experiences in the comment section below!