Sony to take part in U.S. smart-grid tech test

Sony Corp. said Monday it will participate in a smart-grid power system demonstration in the United States by providing technology needed to measure electricity demand in households efficiently.

This will be the first time the consumer electronics giant has provided such a system for a demonstration test, a Sony spokesman said, adding that it aims to commercialize the technology in the future.

In the Pecan Street Smart Grid Demonstration Project, to be held in Austin, Texas, Sony will provide a device that can measure power consumption just by placing it on the power distribution board without installing separate devices on each piece of equipment to monitor energy usage, the company said.

In the experiment, Sony plans to deploy an Internet-connection set-top box in households that allows them to view their energy management on the portal site from a television.

To get households to actively participate in the project, Sony is considering providing other services, including distribution of games and other free content, Sony said.

The project, led by a research group consisting of the University of Texas and private companies, will start from March at up to 500 households.

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