Energate completes CCDR project with Ontario Power Authority

Energate has completed a six-month pilot project with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to deploy its Consumer-Connected Demand Response (CCDR) solution platform, which will control home energy use via the Internet while giving consumers access to smart meter data. The project used smart thermostats on air conditioning, load-control switches on water heaters and pool pumps and energy displays paired with smart meters to share real-time data. A web-based portal enabled consumers to easily program thermostats remotely to manage home comfort and energy use.

Energate's Consumer Connected Demand Response (CCDR)

"Direct load control (DLC) has been one of the arrows in the utilities' resource quiver for a very long time. It has been shown that the appropriate DLC programs are much more cost effective and have a significantly lower total resource cost than constructing hew peaking power plants," Energate CEO Niraj Bhargava said in an interview with FierceEnergy.

Utilities have been using DLC over one-way broadcast media like pager communications for decades with mixed but generally favorable results. Many utilities have DLC programs already approved by their regulators and already have tariffs in place.

As utilities deploy more DLC and demand response (DR), the role of DLC and DR in providing reliability increases. That means that utilities must be able to monitor the performance of their DLC and DR programs to ensure reliable behavior over time.  This will require two way communication with close to real-time performance feedback.

Newer technologies allow for DLC and DR consumer opt-in programs with signals like pricing, and for verification of response, through robust two-way networks like broadband or AMI.

"Technology evolution will allow devices and applications to penetrate deeper into the home allowing more consumer-centric Home Energy Management (HEM) eventually allowing for ‘agents' to manage various characteristics of a home," Bhargava said. "This opens the field to a portfolio of future technology options for a broad base of consumers."

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