By: Sasha Sud
Yesterday, the Ontario Minister of Energy, Bob Chiarelli, announced the Energy Apps for Ontario Challenge, a contest organized by MaRS and funded by the Ministry of Energy that encourages developers to create the best new, proof-of-concept apps to help Ontarians unlock the potential of Green Button-enabled electricity data.
Green Button is a standard that offers a secure way for consumers to share electricity data from smart meters. We’re looking for the best apps that make use of the Green Button data standard to help Ontario households and businesses better understand how they use electricity, and what they can do to conserve energy and save money.
What’s in it for you?
A lot!
Aside from the $50,000 in awards for the best entries, the challenge offers a great opportunity to effect positive social and environmental change through technology.
It also provides innovators with the chance to access a growing market of consumers, both in Canada and around the world, who are interested in solutions that help them manage their energy consumption.
Contest details
Submissions will be accepted until January 7, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
For details about the Green Button standard API, as well as the contest dates, times, requirements and judging criteria, please visit the contest website.
The Green Button story
The Energy Apps for Ontario challenge is the latest in a series of efforts undertaken by MaRS to enable innovation through access to electricity consumption data.
To read about how the Green Button initiative came to be in Ontario, check out the story here.
Good luck!
Sasha is the Energy Data Manager at MaRS Discovery District leading the Energy Data Access Project in the implementation and adoption of the Green Button standard in Ontario. Sasha has nearly ten years of experience working in the energy, smart grid and climate change fields.
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