August 15
Duke Energy Expands Demand Response Programs in South Carolina
Top consumer smart energy news hand-selected and brought to you by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
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Duke Energy said it has doubled, and even tripled, the incentives in some of its energy efficiency and demand response programs for customers in South Carolina, citing rising consumption and a recent state law that codified the public interest of such programs. On the residential side, the changes, which went into effect in August, include free home energy assessments, home improvement rebates and increased bill credits for shifting energy use, the company said.
When a heat wave hits New York City, many customers can soon expect a message from Con Edison, asking customers to conserve energy. The reason is to protect the heat-strained electric grid, which, when taxed to the point of failure, can lead to blackouts and brownouts. Addy Spiller, an Upper West Sider and founder of a product management business, said those messages from Con Edison drive her bananas.
As Phoenix set new records for the hottest August day, Arizona public power utility Salt River Project, too, delivered a record-breaking amount of energy to its customers. Based on preliminary information, on Thursday, August 7, between 3 and 4 p.m., SRP reached a new system peak load of 8,542 megawatts (MW). On Wednesday, August 6, the company achieved a peak load of 8,429 between 3 and 4 p.m., surpassing the previous record peak of 8,361 MW set on July 9.
Window-mounted heat pumps now provide a lower-cost option compared to any previous technology used in large multifamily buildings, according to a study released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). In most cases, building owners seeking to decarbonize should consider these heat pumps along with mini-split and central air-to-water heat pumps, with the best choice often based on building-specific characteristics.
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Industry News
Seventy percent of the nearly 29,000 new Sunrun customers last quarter added paired batteries with rooftop solar systems, the largest U.S. home energy systems installer said last Wednesday. That marked a 50-percent jump in the battery attachment rate from a year earlier. The surge in battery attachments highlights Sunrun’s shift away from solar-only installations.
Are electric school buses the future of grid reliability? A two-year pilot program in New Mexico will help put the idea to the test. GreenPower Motor Company has signed a contract with the state of New Mexico to implement an all-electric school bus pilot project, the result of an award made by the state under an RFP published in May.
Central Hudson Gas & Electric announced it will partner with the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) to launch a no-cost, do-it-yourself tool that helps utility customers manage their energy costs. As part of the partnership, Central Hudson customers will be able to borrow a HomeBoost kit from participating MHLS libraries that will help them make an energy assessment of their home.
Portland General Electric announced last week that it has brought a trio of battery projects online totaling 475 MW/1.9 GWh to maintain reliability and limit price volatility in the metropolitan area. The three projects bring PGE’s large-scale battery storage capacity to 492 MW, representing a significant expansion. Energy storage plays “an important role in helping PGE build a more flexible, reliable and diverse generation portfolio.”
