Verizon Addresses Opportunities in Bringing Energy Management Innovations to Consumers at Parks Associates' Smart Energy Summit

Executive Conference to be held in Austin, January 25-27

News provided by

Jan 19, 2010, 11:35 ET

DALLAS, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Parks Associates announced today that Robert Heffron, Utility Market Manager, Verizon, will deliver the morning keynote at the Smart Energy Summit on Wednesday, January 27, at 9:00 a.m.

Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, hosted by Parks Associates in cooperation with Austin Energy, focuses on the opportunities and challenges in residential energy technologies. The conference takes place January 25-27 at the Hyatt Regency, Austin, Tex.

In his keynote, "Home Energy Management is Ripe for Huge Innovation," Mr. Heffron will discuss the role of the carrier in addressing sustainability and home energy management.

As the home becomes more connected, it is open to a variety of new energy applications, including smarter appliances, load shedding, distributed energy production and resale, electric vehicle grid integration, and even neighborhood energy networking. The consumer is looking for a trusted partner to manage these solutions, maximize savings, and maintain privacy, a role the carrier is in a unique position to fulfill.

"Our research finds over 80% of consumers want to learn about ways to cut their energy costs but less than one-half want to learn more about smart grids," said Bill Ablondi, director, home systems research, Parks Associates. "That poses a challenge to the industry, which has to present new energy technologies and communicate benefits without overwhelming – or alienating – consumers. Service providers could have a major impact in this area, and Verizon's insight will be invaluable to Smart Energy Summit attendees."

For more information, visit www.smartenergysummit2010.com.

About Smart Energy Summit

Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, hosted by Parks Associates in cooperation with Austin Energy, is the premier conference studying the market for residential energy management and Smart Grid technologies.

The event, January 25-27, 2010, in Austin, Tex., features a unique combination of market research, featuring Parks Associates' landmark Residential Energy Management service, and real-world expertise derived from Austin Energy's Smart Grid, the largest working Smart Grid in the U.S. http://www.smartenergysummit2010.com

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates is a market research company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Parks Associates creates research capital through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

http://www.parksassociates.com | http://www.connectionsconference.com | http://www.connectionseurope.com | http://www.connectionsindustryinsights.com