George Arnold, National Coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability at NIST, to Keynote Parks Associates' Smart Energy Summit

NIST Efforts Critical as U.S. Consumers Look to Cut Energy Costs


DALLAS, TX--(Marketwire - December 30, 2009) - Parks Associates announced today that George Arnold, National Coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce, will deliver the afternoon keynote "NIST Smart Grid Interoperability Standards and the Home Area Network" at Smart Energy Summit.

Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, hosted by Parks Associates in cooperation with Austin Energy, will take place January 25-27 at the Hyatt Regency, Austin, Tex. Sessions will include research from Parks Associates' Residential Energy Management project, which reports 80-85% of U.S. households are willing to pay for in-home energy monitors if these solutions can lower their electric bills.

"If efforts to extend smart-energy benefits to consumers are to be successful, they will have to emphasize simplicity and ease of use," said Bill Ablondi, director, home systems research, Parks Associates. "NIST has a significant role in this effort, and Summit attendees will benefit greatly from Dr. Arnold's insight."

In his keynote on January 26, Dr. Arnold will discuss the challenges that need to be addressed in developing the interface between the Smart Grid and the Home Area Network. NIST is coordinating the development of a robust, interoperable framework of technical standards that will help transform the nation's electric infrastructure into an "energy internet."

For more information about Smart Energy Summit, 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 an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups 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

Contact Information: Contact: Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein Parks Associates 972-490-1113 Email: mindi.sue@parksassociates.com