Efficiency Vermont and Green Mountain Power to launch innovative peak energy savings offering to customers
Burlington, VT
Efficiency Vermont, in partnership with Green Mountain Power (GMP) and cloud software provider Opower, today announced plans to deploy a first-of-its-kind residential peak energy savings pilot program to customers in GMP service territory. The program is designed to empower customers save energy and money during hot summer days when the customers’ demand for and the utility’s cost for energy is particularly high. Reducing summer peak demand helps reduce the need for additional power from the most costly and polluting power plants and eases the burden on Vermont’s electricity system.
“We work year-round to provide energy efficiency services that help customers save energy and money,” said Jim Merriam, Director of Efficiency Vermont. “This program will be important in the summer months when there is more strain on the power grid due to higher electricity usage. Our priority is to make sure that customers have the right information and tools to empower them to take action to reduce energy usage during the summer.”
The program will be initially offered to up to 35,000 customers in GMP’s service territory who were selected randomly and will be notified by post cards this week. Here’s how the program works: Efficiency Vermont and GMP will identify Peak Event Days between mid-July and the end of September when temperatures and related energy usage are expected to be particularly high. Prior to a Peak Event Day, GMP and Efficiency Vermont will notify customers about the upcoming event and provide them with low- and no-cost guidance for reducing their energy usage during the identified peak hours. Customers can then take action to reduce their usage during those times by not operating major home appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and dryers. In addition, customers can use smart plug technology to control more minor appliances and lighting remotely using a smart phone app to ensure they are turned off. Each customer will also receive communications after events, with information about how much they saved and tips and feedback for the next event. Customers will be contacted through phone or email messages.
“At GMP, we are committed to offering customers innovative programs that help them conserve energy and reduce energy costs and this pilot program is an important part of our ongoing work in this area,” said Mary Powell the President & CEO of Green Mountain Power. “This program will not only decrease strain on the electric grid this summer, but will also help customers save on their utility bills. We’re thrilled to partner with Efficiency Vermont in helping Vermonters save money and reduce their environmental impact by providing information and creating awareness so that customers can take action.”
Efficiency Vermont anticipates that there will be as many as five Peak Event Days this summer when customers will have a chance to reduce energy usage during these critical hours. Customers are allowed to opt-out of the pilot program if they no longer wish to receive the service. For more information on the program, please call 844-651-2421.
About Efficiency Vermont
As the nation’s first Energy Efficiency Utility, Efficiency Vermont has helped Vermont avoid over 13.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence award for the last eight consecutive years. Efficiency Vermont works with partners to help our state transition to more affordable, low carbon energy use through education, incentives, and support for our clean energy workforce. Learn more at www.efficiencyvermont.com.
About Green Mountain Power
Green Mountain Power (www.greenmountainpower.com) generates, transmits, distributes and sells electricity in the state of Vermont. The company, which was named 2013 Utility of the Year by the Solar Electric Power Association and 2014 Solar Champion by Vote Solar, serves more than 250,000 customers and has set its vision to be the best small company in America.
About Opower
Working with 93 utility partners and serving more than 32 million households and businesses across eight countries, Opower is a leading provider of cloud-based software to the utility industry. Opower’s platform uses big data analytics and behavioral science to enable utilities to achieve energy outcomes, including energy efficiency, customer engagement and demand response. Founded in 2007 and listed on the NYSE as OPWR, Opower is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with offices in San Francisco, London, Singapore and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.opower.com and follow us on Twitter at @Opower.
Efficiency Vermont Press Contact
Matthew Smith
Phone: (802) 540-7662
[email protected]
Green Mountain Power
Dorothy Schnure
(802) 655-8418
[email protected]