Energy Efficiency Market Growing

Industry Executives Predict a Growing Market for Energy Efficiency Solutions

A survey of utility executives conducted by Comverge to gauge their opinions on smart grid and energy efficiency issues revealed a widely-held expectation that budgets for energy efficiency resources will increase significantly in 2011. A full 92% of respondents indicated that they anticipate an increase in energy efficiency investments. Of all respondents 50% foresee a rise of 10%, 21% predict a rise of 11-20% and 21% expect an increase of 21-100% of current investment levels.

When asked what the most critical feature of a next generation energy management solution will be, the top three responses were support for open standards (35%), ability to measure and verify results (20%), and control and automation (19%).

Reflecting on Facebook

I just saw the Social Network and began reflecting on Facebook.

According to the latest press...
In just 7 yrs, Facebook now is valued at $50 billion, more than Nike.
Goldman Saks paid to own 1% of the valuation. Yet, in light of this valuation, it's free, has very little advertising and market researchers are some of the few paying for it.

What is very compelling is that Facebook is collecting more, unpecedented personal info on more than 600 million people. Certainly, it was a social force in world government upheavals like in Egypt and is truly a new viral marketing media virtual place, mobile and real time.

Access to all that info on consumers is where the real value lies, I think.
What about Privacy of its users? We have yet to see what will happen...

The economic backbone of Facebook is the ad placement with unprecedented accuracy.
Mark Zuckerberg has been named Man of the Year on Time Magazine.
It is said that Facebook has to be a permanent fixture on the internet and transform itself to a money making machine and start selling us. It may become unpopular with this coming price we will be faced to pay for Facebook.

Mmmmm...Facebook...will it be like AOL, Friendster and Myspace, invincible or a passing fad??

I think one problem with it for me is the overlap and redundancy...
You can follow people on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yahoo...etc.
You can write headlines on all, connect on all, share on all.

I'm already getting overspent on blogging vs. tweeting, vs. sharing on Facebook.
However, I keep LinkedIn for business use and Facebook for social, Twitter has
been taking a back seat for my tweets, but, it is a good
research tool for me. I really only want to share in one spot.

And, they are all great on mobile devices like my Blackberry Smartphone when I'm waiting for
flights at the airport and are twittering my fingers!

The Global population will reach 7 billion.
I don't think my Mom will be on it soon, she doesn't even use a computer; she loves to type on the old typewriter! And, I don't know if a tennis friend of mine will continue holding out to not be on Facebook while protecting their privacy?

I like it, but, it's raining now here where I'm online and if it weren't, I wouldn't
be on Facebook, I'd be outside enjoying the environment!