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We're building an API to interact with utilities. Most interactions with utilities (data requests, interconnection requests, etc.) are still manual processes, a

We're building an API to interact with utilities. Most interactions with utilities (data requests, interconnection requests, etc.) are still manual processes, adding significant customer acquisition and asset management costs and slowing down deployment for distributed energy resources (DERs) and energy efficiency (EE) vendors. Automating those interactions removes a huge friction point, allowing DERs and EE to scale much more effectively. I got into this because I was a project engineer for a commercial energy consultant, and I was spending half my time wrangling utility data instead of actually working on designing and deploying projects. So I started UtilityAPI.

AdamM12 8y ago
Are the utilities giving you access to their db? How are you translating API requests over to the utility if they don't already have an API? Don't take my questions as criticisms as I think it's interesting.
- diafygi 8y ago
  It varies, but by and large we do not have arbitrary access to utility customer data. For most utilities, customers are empowered to give written authorization for a party to act on their behalf to access/manage their utility data, so we have an online form they can fill out to grant that consent within the US-DOE DataGuard Privacy Guidelines (think GDPR for energy data). For some utilities, they are beginning to provide OAuth-style access for customers (I'm actually on the board of this "Green Button Connect" standard, and we'll be coming out with our own OAuth-style solution utilities can buy next year). Overall, it varies from utility to utility and regulatory authority to regulatory authority. There's an incredible amount of politics and policy involved, but mostly it revolves around clear consent (which isn't ever a problem since the utility customer is the one wanting the energy audit or quote). The complexity of the regulation/policy is what prevents a good fit for most VC models, and other financing options are more experienced and comfortable at this than VC.
  - AdamM12 8y ago
    Thanks for the response. Didn't immediately see it.

AdamM12 8y ago

Are the utilities giving you access to their db? How are you translating API requests over to the utility if they don't already have an API? Don't take my questions as criticisms as I think it's interesting.

diafygi 8y ago
It varies, but by and large we do not have arbitrary access to utility customer data. For most utilities, customers are empowered to give written authorization for a party to act on their behalf to access/manage their utility data, so we have an online form they can fill out to grant that consent within the US-DOE DataGuard Privacy Guidelines (think GDPR for energy data). For some utilities, they are beginning to provide OAuth-style access for customers (I'm actually on the board of this "Green Button Connect" standard, and we'll be coming out with our own OAuth-style solution utilities can buy next year). Overall, it varies from utility to utility and regulatory authority to regulatory authority. There's an incredible amount of politics and policy involved, but mostly it revolves around clear consent (which isn't ever a problem since the utility customer is the one wanting the energy audit or quote). The complexity of the regulation/policy is what prevents a good fit for most VC models, and other financing options are more experienced and comfortable at this than VC.
- AdamM12 8y ago
  Thanks for the response. Didn't immediately see it.