So Parks borrowed a tool common in the welding of plastic components, which is to gently agitate the hopper so that particles flow like water into a metering chamber.

FORBES: The Impossible Made Possible

The key feature of a distributed system is so-called "smart metering, " which allows power to flow in both directions.

FORBES: The Answer To The Energy Problem

Two rival metering models used in large commercial buildings to track the flow of electricity as it moves through a building shows the difference between upstream and downstream applications in the smart-grid space.

FORBES: Smart Grid Vendors Swim Upstream