Smart meters have become utility providers' preferred method of measuring energy usage, given that current meters are reaching the end of their life cycle and smart meters are the most cost-effective and efficient option. The smart meters are able to transmit data continuously, eliminating the need for district employees to drive around monthly and manually read the meters. However, a number of residents, such as in California and North Carolina, are taking issue with these devices and the inability to easily opt out of them. They primarily cite health concerns due to radio waves emitted by the smart meters. Perhaps Google, a top patent holder in the Energy Financial Settlement sector, can offer a solution with its recently issued patent, which relates to a method of generating virtual smart-meter data.
