CPower Energy launches demand response programmes to mitigate summer peaks

US energy solutions provider CPower Energy has announced four demand response programmes across the country. The new programmes aim to build on the company’s momentum in providing grid-balancing solutions as the summer season takes off.

CPower currently manages over 5.3GW distributed energy resource (DER) capacity across the US, connecting the assets of nearly 2,000 customers at more than 12,000 sites by forming virtual power plants that meet the grid’s real-time supply needs.

The demand response programmes will now pay energy users to reduce their energy load during peak usage.

Expanding upon its offerings in California, New England and Texas, the new solutions include:

• Demand Response Auction Mechanism (DRAM) for Pacific Gas & Electric Customers

Commercial and industrial (C&I) organisations who want to manage event frequency will be provided a day-ahead notification to participate in the DRAM program.

• Resource Adequacy (RA) for Southern California Edison Customers

With day-ahead notifications, C&I customers can receive premium pricing and take advantage of the customer-focused program design.

• Demand Response Initiative (DRI) in Maine

DRI is available to municipal, higher education, healthcare, manufacturing and commercial real estate industries with interval meters. DRI provides a day-ahead notice with 3-6 calls per season, typically from 4pm until 7pm ET.

• Non-Spinning Reserves in ERCOT

Available to C&I organisations that are currently connected to the system and can curtail load within 30-minutes of a test/event notification. There is no under-frequency relay requirement, meaning their power cannot be completely shut off.

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“As operators around the country experience capacity shortfalls, distributed energy resources can fill that gap by tapping the embedded capacity within the grid,” stated Glenn Bogarde, senior vice president, Sales, CPower.

“We remain committed to providing solutions that provide a win-win situation for our customers on both sides of the energy value chain: compensating the energy users for the value of the flexibility, while feeding the capacity of those resources back to the grid to keep it balanced.”

Working with grid operators and utilities across the country, CPower currently offers 59 local energy solutions to deliver power to the grid when it is needed most.

The announcement also comes in after the company recently announced its expansion across Illinois and MISO with a new demand response solution for Ameren Illinois customers.