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CSU Picks EnergyConnect to Provide Demand Response Services

By Shamila Janakiraman
TMCnet Contributor

EnergyConnect, Inc., a provider of smart grid demand response services and technologies, secured a multi-year contract to provide integrated demand response services to the California State University system(CSU).

CSU is spread over 23 campuses and is the largest public university system in the United States. The agreement with EnergyConnect also provides all campuses with the opportunity to engage in a pre-negotiated demand response contract with the company.

In a press release Len Pettis, chief of Plant, Energy and Utilities at the CSU Chancellor’s Office, said, “Partnering with companies like EnergyConnect allows California State University to realize increased earnings and savings by proactively and sensibly managing our electricity consumption.”

“The CSU’s commitment to our students and to the cause of higher education extends to responsible environmental stewardship, and EnergyConnect’s innovative approach to demand response will support our efforts moving forward,” Pettis added.

The University is committed to sustainable energy consumption which is enabled by the participation in EnergyConnect’s demand response programs. CSU campuses will be able to reduce energy use during times of peak demand or high energy prices.

The benefits realized by the university campuses include generation of revenue that can be applied towards other sustainability measures. It also makes the electricity grid more reliable and reduces need for construction of more power plants, explained company sources.

Kevin R. Evans, president and CEO of EnergyConnect, expressed his pleasure on being able to assist CSU in its endeavor to optimize energy management.

Evans added, “CSU represents a clear example of a forward-thinking organization committed to excellence and innovation. Our award-winning, integrated approach to demand response makes sustainability profitable for our customers. This new partnership has the potential to increase the CSU’s energy savings and earnings while helping to enhance the reliability of California’s power grid.”

EnergyConnect sources revealed that it has enabled numerous academic institutions on the east coast to participate in emergency curtailment programs. These have helped them increase their savings by decreasing energy usage on a regular basis. The new CSU agreement is the company’s first university system on the west coast which reflects the company’s growth and the increase in demand for such solutions.

The company’s Demand Response technologies and services serve commercial, institutional and industrial consumers, enabling them to manage their use of electricity in response to market prices or regional power shortages. Also, its GridConnect technology platform provides a scalable, cost-effective, clean technology which increases the grid reliability and efficiency.