February 9, 2010
Media Contacts:
Katie Lennon - Pierson Grant Public Relations - (919) 376-1737- klennon@piersongrant.com
Jeff Ebihara - Consert Inc. (919) 855-1075 jebihara@consert.com
Consert Partners with North Carolina International Affairs Council to Educate Canadian Delegates on Green Energy Capabilities
RALEIGH, N.C. - Raleigh-based Consert Inc., an industry leader in the implementation of intelligent distributed energy resource management systems, partnered with the International Affairs Council of North Carolina (IAC), a nonprofit organization committed to increasing global understanding by arranging visits for distinguished international visitors to meet with their American professional counterparts, to host Canadian representatives participating in the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The IVLP is a professional exchange program funded and organized by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs.
The representatives included Sandra Schwartz, president of SLS Strategic Consulting in Ottawa; Jean Quenneville, director of communications and external relations for Rio Tinto Alcan in Québec; and Sébastien Proulx, attorney at Heenan Blaikie in Québec. All three professionals are involved with areas related to the implementation of renewable energies in Canada and took part in the program to travel to various U.S. organizations to gain insight into the innovative technologies helping to modernize the North American electricity grid.
"Our meeting with the Sandra, Jean and Sébastien was mutually beneficial. We were able to provide them with a demonstration of our capabilities and they were able to give us further insight into their energy landscape," said Joe Forbes, Jr. Consert COO. "Green energy is the way of the future and the more we can share our findings and successes, the better positioned we all will be in the long run."
The Consert Solution empowers consumers to monitor and reduce their energy consumption, while concurrently granting public utilities dynamic permission to adjust customers' loads and obtain real-time data. This unique data collection helps utilities improve reliability, add valuable new services and reduce capacity constraints and operating costs. It also enables mandated greenhouse gas management, facilitates the adoption of alternative energy sources by serving as a local or service-area regulating resource, and provides income from carbon credit sales.
"Consert is a pioneer in the clean energy industry working to develop technologies that will not only conserve energy, but also help to save money and the environment," states Leila Bekri, director of the IAC IVLP. "The energy savings results they have accomplished with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission through their pilot program impressed our Canadian visitors and provided them with a new perspective on emerging renewable energy developments."
In addition to the pilot with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC), Consert is actively running pilots with Wake Electric Membership Corporation in WakeForest and Project FREEDM and North CarolinaStateUniversity in Raleigh. Early study results collected have demonstrated that businesses and residents actively participating in the monitoring and control of their energy usage have achieved savings of up to 40 percent.
A demonstration of the Consert Solution can be viewed at http://bit.ly/Consert-at-Home.
About Consert
Dedicated to a secure and clean energy future, Consert is a thought and action leader in the design and implementation of intelligent energy distribution and management networks. Its systems facilitate and encourage energy conservation by consumers and utilities alike, providing for a market-driven transition to a green energy future. Web site: Consert.com
About the International Affairs Council of North Carolina
The International Affairs Council (IAC) is a volunteer-based, nonprofit corporation that serves the Triangle area. Its mission is to increase global understanding by arranging for distinguished international visitors to meet with their American professional counterparts for the exchange of ideas and information. Web site: IACNC.org
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Smart Grid Project Cuts Electricity Usage
By Todd Woody
September 21, 2009, 12:10 pm
Consert Residents in a smart grid pilot project in North Carolina can manage their electricity usage online. A smart grid pilot project in Fayetteville, N.C., has resulted in an initial 20 percent decline in average electricity consumption, according Consert, a Raleigh, N.C. technology company. Those numbers are based on the first month of the project, a joint effort between Consert and I.B.M. that installed energy management systems for 100 residential and business customers of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, the local utility. Consert attached controllers on hot water heaters, air conditioners and pool pumps and then let customers go online and set targets for their monthly electricity bill. Smart meters and a wireless communications system provide real-time electricity consumption data to allow the utility to cycle appliances on and off to achieve the savings and help it manage peak demand. The customer sets up a profile detailing when they wake up in the morning, go to work, return home and what temperature they’d like in their home. “The consumer can say ‘I want my utility bill to be not to be greater than $200 a month,’ and then we’ll look at their past bill history to see if that’s achievable and ask what they want to do to achieve their goals,” said Jack Roberts, Consert’s chief executive. The company’s software takes into account the customer’s billing history, local weather conditions and other factors to manage the home’s appliances. Mr. Roberts said Consert can control up to 256 devices but expects most savings will come from appliances such as air conditioners and water heaters. “One of the things that was a bit of a surprise to us was how much pool pumps and hot water heaters contributed to peak demand,” said Mr. Roberts, who noted that one household had reduced electricity use by 50 percent. “On an August afternoon you’re less likely to notice that your pool pump is off for three hours than that your air conditioner is off for 10 minutes,” he said. The Consert system, which is based on IBM software, would allow the Fayetteville Public Works Commission to selectively reduce demand among its 80,000 customers without having to, say, shut off everyone’s air conditioners at the same time. Utilities typically spend hundreds of millions of dollars building so-called peaking power plants that provide electricity when demand spikes, and otherwise sit idle for most of the year. Keith Lynch, an executive at the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, said the utility hopes the Consert system will help it to cut such capital costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “We’re looking at building a new gas-fired generation plant, but this solution would mitigate the need to build the size power plant that we had anticipated,” he said.
Consert Claims Faster, More Complete Home Energy Network
Jeff St. John
September 21, 2009
The North Carolina startup is teaming with IBM on a home energy management pilot project. For about $200 to $250 it can set up real-time energy controls on major household loads, it says. Consert wants to put real-time home energy management within the customers' grasp – and give utilities some extra tools to make its higher price worth it. The Raleigh, N.C.-based startup emerged Monday with news that it was working with IBM on linking up 100 homes of customers of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, with an aim of reducing overall home energy use by up to 40 percent. That's more aggressive target than the 10n percent to 15 percent usually claimed by makers of home energy devices that allow people to see how much energy they're using and adjust accordingly. How does Consert plan to do it? Like many of its fellow home energy startups – Greenbox, Tendril, Control4, EnergyHub, eMeter and dozens of others – Consert uses ZigBee wireless communications to hook up a host of load sensors in the home to a gateway device, in this case a "smart" thermostat or Web-enabled platform (see RF Mesh, ZigBee, Top North American Utilities' Smart Meter Wish Lists). That device then links to a smart meter, Consert Chief Development Officer Roy Moore said. It also links its gateway devices to the Internet, in the Fayetteville case with Verizon wireless broadband, he said. Unlike some of its competitors, Consert can also control the major household loads like air conditioners, water heaters, pool pumps and refrigerator compressors that it links to, Moore said. And another differentiation Moore drew between Consert's technology and some others is that Consert's is real-time, rather than done in 15-minute intervals or greater. "Real-time means seconds for deployment," he said. "It is truly real-time measurable and verifiable... other solutions don't meet that criteria." The value of real-time power down capability, along with being able to measure just how much power reduction is occurring, could be quite useful to utilities as they seek to make homes more reliable sources of demand response (see The Elusive Smart Meter-Demand Response Combo). There's a tricky line to walk in making such demand response both useful for utilities and acceptable to homeowners, Moore said. People want to be able to control how much hotter their homes get at peak times, but on the other hand, often they're not home to notice or respond to requests to turn off items. Consert's solution is to have homeowners preset how much power they're willing to shed versus how much money they want to save on their power bills on average, Moore said. That allows Consert's system to automatically power down "ghost loads" that are running to no purpose, like ACs and water heaters when no one is at home, he said. In areas where customers pre-pay their bills, the system could adjust loads to make sure that payment keeps the light on through the end of the month, he said. That same kind of extra functionality pertains to another North Carolina home energy networking startup, Sequentric, which is reported to be testing out its system with Duke Energy (see Sequentric Working on Duke Pilot Project). But all that functionality comes at a price quite a bit higher than some of its competing systems – about $200 to $250, not counting the smart meters that will be involved. Moore said. It might give utilities and their customers pause. While some home energy control makers are banking on selling direct to consumers, initial studies indicate that most people don't want to spend much more than $50, if anything at all, for the ability (see $48: A Threshold Price for In-Home Energy Management?) That, in turn, is likely to push utilities to cover some or all of the cost of installing devices at first, as they're the ones seeking to reap the benefits of lower peak demands and prove to a wider audience that the savings can justify the cost. Consert, for its part, is also trying out its system with the N.C.-based Wake Electric Membership Corporation and North Carolina State University in Raleigh. IBM is also working with Consert on those projects, providing the middleware for Consert's interaction with the utility, something it's also doing with dozens of partners under the rubric of its Solution Architecture for Energy and Utilities Framework, or SAFE, platform (see IBM, Cisco Look to Tie Up Smart Grid Partners). North Carolina State University is seeking to use Consert's real-time power reduction data to apply the energy it saves to generating renewable energy credits under the state's system for rewarding renewable power and energy efficiency, Moore added. That could be another benefit of actually tracking the watt-hours with real-time date, he said, compared to other systems that send signals to power down air conditioners and appliances but don't individually verify the power reductions.
IBM and Consert complete US smart grid pilot project
21st September 2009
IBM and energy technology company Consert have completed their smart grid pilot project installations with nearly 100 commercial and residential participants partnering with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission in North Carolina, US. The pilot aimed to reduce ‘ghost’ consumption on devices such as air conditioners and water heaters that draw energy when no one is home to use them. Consumers will be able to do these same activities from a PDA or mobile phone early next year. Consert provided the technology for the pilot with smart meter and software applications technology based on IBM software. Real-time energy monitoring and modifications can help the typical consumer save, on average, 15 percent or more of their normal energy use with no change in comfort or lifestyle. In addition, the FPWC can calculate carbon savings at the device level, rather than at the point of generation. ‘By demonstrating an effective smart grid consumer application, Fayetteville Public Works Commission is taking a significant step to further smart grid adoption. North Carolina is fortunate to have companies like Consert and IBM as part of a growing cluster of smart grid companies. I am optimistic about growth in this part of the green economy, creating benefits for consumers and utilities, as well as creating jobs, spurring innovation and attracting investments for the application of intelligent technology to how we deliver and use electricity,’ said John E P Morrison, North Carolina Commerce Assistant Secretary for Energy. Consert also has two active pilot programs in North Carolina with Wake Electric Membership Corporation and Project FREEDM with North Carolina State University in Raleigh. ‘The only way we’re going make energy grids greener is to add instrumentation and intelligence. Projects like these illustrate that with the right technology and partnerships, it can be done,’ said Chris O’Connor, vice president strategy and market management for IBM Tivoli Software. ‘Technology is at the core of the next generation of smart grids and IBM is making significant investments into research, skills development and partners to make smart grids a reality.’ IBM is working with clients in nearly 50 smart grid engagements across emerging and mature markets. Copyright © 2009 NewNet
IBM, Consert disclose initial data from smart grid trial in North Carolina
Posted by Heather Clancy @ 4:29 am
September 21st, 2009
Another example of why even the smallest adjustments to our energy consumption behavior can make a difference. IBM and Consert, a smart grid software and integration company that also happens to be an IBM Business Partner, are talking up the results of a smart grid pilot project that the two companies have completed in Fayetteville, N.C. The pilot touched 100 commercial and residential customers of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. The project was focused mainly on allowing the participants to control the energy consumption of appliances and other power-hungry devices during peak usage periods. The technology involved in the project included controllers placed on devices such as air conditioners and water heaters. These devices communicate to a gateway device hooked in the utility meter, and a 3G wireless connection from Verizon Wireless was used to collect profile information about the devices being monitored. Consumption patterns could be checked and adjusted via an Internet connection. According to IBM and Consert, participants were able to save up to 40 percent per household on their energy usage by controlling these devices in near real time. Aside from Consert’s technology and integration, the solution uses IBM DB2, WebSphere and Tivoli. The companies have posted a demonstration video of their system at this link. The music is a little corny, but the animation provides an easily digestible explanation of what’s going on in the trial.
IBM, Consert Complete Smart Grid Pilot Project Installations
Published: 21-Sep-2009
IBM and Consert have completed smart grid pilot project installations with nearly 100 commercial and residential participants partnering with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. IBM said that the pilot has helped local businesses and residents participate in the monitoring and control of their energy usage with savings of up to 40%. Utilizing software by IBM and Consert, participants can set their daily use profiles, check their energy consumption from an internet connection, select a monthly target bill amount, and authorize FPWC to cycle their appliances off for brief periods during peak energy consumption events. Data is transmitted over the 3G Verizon Wireless network. The pilot aimed to reduce 'ghost' consumption on devices such as air conditioners and water heaters that draw energy when no one is home to use them. Consumers will be able to do these same activities from a PDA or mobile phone early next year. In the six-month pilot spearheaded by FPWC, consert outfitted each participant's residence or place of business with small controllers placed on high consumption devices. A gateway was integrated to the meter enabling two-way communications between the participant and the FPWC utilizing wireless network connectivity provided by Verizon Wireless, said the companies. By logging into a web site from their laptops, participants can check on and adjust their energy consumption. The pilot also provides a wireless broadband internet connection as an option for those participants with no connectivity or those who are using a dial-up service. Consert provided the technology for the pilot with smart meter and software applications technology based on IBM software including DB2, WebSphere and Tivoli. Jack Roberts, CEO and president of Consert, said: "The pilot creates an additional way for the Fayetteville Public Works Commission to effectively meet the requirements of North Carolina renewable and energy efficiency legislation, address future demands for costly generators and help consumers realize savings."
IBM and Consert complete smart grid pilot project in North Carolina
Sep 21, 2009 (TELECOMWORLDWIRE via COMTEX) -- IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Consert Inc announced on Monday the completion of smart grid pilot project installations with nearly 100 commercial and residential participants partnering with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The financial details of the project were not disclosed. According to the companies, the pilot has helped local businesses and residents participate in the monitoring and control of their energy usage with savings of up to 40%. Using software by IBM and Consert, participants can set their daily use profiles, check their energy consumption from an Internet connection, select a monthly target bill amount and authorise FPWC to cycle their appliances off for brief periods during peak energy consumption events. The pilot aimed to reduce 'ghost' consumption on devices such as air conditioners and water heaters that draw energy when no one is home to use them. Consumers will be able to do these same activities from a PDA or mobile phone early in 2010. Consert outfitted each participant's residence or place of business with small controllers placed on high consumption devices. A gateway was integrated to the meter, enabling two-way communications between the participant and the FPWC using wireless network connectivity provided by Verizon Wireless. Consert provided the technology for the pilot with smart meter and software applications technology based on IBM software including DB2, WebSphere and Tivoli. The system has been designed to provide customers with a real-time, two-way communication and control system that allows for up to 256 devices and components to work with each other. Consert Inc is a designer and developer of intelligent energy distribution and management networks. Comments on this story may be sent to tww.feedback@m2.com.
Software cuts power bills Raleigh firm enters market
BY JOHN MURAWSKI - Staff Writer
Published: Mon, Sep. 21, 2009 02:00AM
A Raleigh technology venture trying to make a name for itself in the Smart Grid arena says its software can cut customers' electricity costs by 20 percent on average. Consert will present the results of several customer tests today in Fayetteville, as the company launches more pilot projects in this state and in Michigan. The joint presentation by Consert and IBM will be held at the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, a municipal utility that's one of the first to test Consert's product and is reporting monthly savings of $15 to $18 on a typical bill of $90. IBM is Consert's technology partner in the project. Consert's technology lets homeowners and business owners disable water heaters, air conditioners and other electricity-sucking appliances while the customers are away. The technology is similar to a programmable thermostat, but it is managed through a Web site and can be programmed remotely. Consert has completed six months of testing with about 100 customers in Fayetteville and about 20 N.C. State University professors in Raleigh. It has begun another pilot project with customers served by Wake Electric Membership Corp., based in Youngsville. It also plans a fourth test this year in Holland, Mich. "With no impact to their normal lifestyle, we're seeing an excess of 20 percent in savings," said Jeff Ebihara, Consert's vice president of sales. The Smart Grid concept has been touted as the nation's electrical future, and the Obama administration has dedicated $4.5 billion in stimulus funds to support Smart Grid development. A Smart Grid is a system of electrical delivery that is managed by digital technology. The company is gearing up to sell the product to power companies. A proposal in Congress would require power companies in all states to promote energy efficiency and conservation. john.murawski@newsobserver.com or 919-829-8932
Mon. September 21, 2009; Posted: 11:34 AM
Sep 21, 2009 (TELECOMWORLDWIRE via COMTEX) -- IBM | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Consert Inc announced on Monday the completion of smart grid pilot project installations with nearly 100 commercial and residential participants partnering with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The financial details of the project were not disclosed. According to the companies, the pilot has helped local businesses and residents participate in the monitoring and control of their energy usage with savings of up to 40%. Using software by IBM and Consert, participants can set their daily use profiles, check their energy consumption from an Internet connection, select a monthly target bill amount and authorise FPWC to cycle their appliances off for brief periods during peak energy consumption events. The pilot aimed to reduce 'ghost' consumption on devices such as air conditioners and water heaters that draw energy when no one is home to use them. Consumers will be able to do these same activities from a PDA or mobile phone early in 2010. Consert outfitted each participant's residence or place of business with small controllers placed on high consumption devices. A gateway was integrated to the meter, enabling two-way communications between the participant and the FPWC using wireless network connectivity provided by Verizon Wireless. Consert provided the technology for the pilot with smart meter and software applications technology based on IBM software including DB2, WebSphere and Tivoli. The system has been designed to provide customers with a real-time, two-way communication and control system that allows for up to 256 devices and components to work with each other. Consert Inc is a designer and developer of intelligent energy distribution and management networks.
IBM and Consert Help North Carolinians Reduce Energy Consumption With Smart Grid Technology
Monday 21st September 2009 - 06:39
IBM and Consert today announced the completion of smart grid pilot project installations with nearly 100 commercial and residential participants partnering with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The pilot has helped local businesses and residents actively participate in the monitoring and control of their energy usage with savings of up to 40 percent.
IBM, Consert Complete Pilot Program Installations
by Renew Grid on Monday 21 September 2009
IBM and Consert have completed smart grid pilot project installations with nearly 100 commercial and residential participants partnering with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, N.C. The pilot aimed to reduce "ghost" consumption on devices, such as air conditioners and water heaters, that draw energy when no one is home to use them. Consumers will be able to do these same activities from a PDA or mobile phone early next year. In the six-month pilot spearheaded by FPWC, Consert outfitted each participant's residence or place of business with small controllers placed on high-consumption devices. A gateway was integrated to the meter, enabling two-way communications between the participant and the FPWC utilizing wireless network connectivity provided by Verizon Wireless. Consert provided the technology for the pilot with smart meter and software applications technology based on IBM software, including DB2, WebSphere and Tivoli. The system is designed to provide customers with a real-time, two-way interactive communication and control system that allows for up to 256 devices and components to work with one another. Since the inception of the FPWC pilot program, the Consert system has measured and verified a reduction in energy consumption of up to 40% in some participating households. SOURCES: IBM, Consert.
Software is designed to save money, environment
Posted: Sep. 21 6:32 p.m. Updated: Sep. 21 6:41 p.m.
Fayetteville, N.C. — A pilot program from Raleigh-based company Consert is designed to help consumers save money and the environment.
By logging onto the Internet, homeowners can monitor and adjust the settings on these appliances when they're not home to cut down on what Consert Chief Executive Officer Jack Roberts calls “ghost consumption,” or using kilowatts when no one is benefiting from it. First, customers give the company information about when they go to work and the temperatures they prefer the house be kept at while they aren’t home. The system is based in IBM software. “All of this information is collected in real time,” said Vik Chandra, of IBM. In Fayetteville’s pilot program, residential customers saw an average savings of 15 percent on their monthly bills. Commercial users saw about 8 percent in savings. “We have some people that got 5 (percent) and some people that got 50 percent savings,” Roberts said. Roberts says most of those savings come from the adjustments made to air conditioners and water heaters. “Generally speaking, people do not use hot water heaters very many hours of the day. But their hot water heater is keeping their water constantly hot,” Roberts said. The system costs $300 $350 to install. The pilot program was used by customers of Wake Electric Coop in Wake County and Project Freedom at North Carolina State University. Consert officials said they hope to have the system available to all consumers in 2010. Reporter: Bryan Mims Photographer: Michael Joyner Web Editor: Kathy Hanrahan
By Kerry Hall, NBC17, 11 hours, 39 minutes ago Updated: Sep. 21 11:36 pm.
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.
Some people in Fayetteville say they're saving money on their energy bills thanks to a pilot program called $martWorks. Consert, a Raleigh-based company, has partnered with IBM and Verizon to create a program through which people can monitor and manage usage of energy-draining appliances like air conditioners, water heaters, and pool pumps. The goal is to reduce the amount of energy wasted when people are not home or using the devices. "We call it ‘ghost' consumption," said Jack Roberts, CEO and President of Consert Inc. "In most houses, we're heating or cooling air when people are not there, some part of the day, and we're heating water that no one's going to use immediately." One hundred residential and business customers of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission are taking part in the pilot. Consert initially hoped that residential users would cut consumption by at least 15 percent, and that business users would cut consumption by 8 percent. But some data already shows people cutting closer to 20 percent. The program allows users to create and set energy usage profiles online \, based on their lifestyles. For instance, one household might have one profile for weekdays and another for weekends. "The questions include things like what time do you get up, what time do you go to work, how would you like the temperature in your house to be," Roberts said. The web site also allows participants to monitor their energy usage all throughout the month and adjust it at any time. All of the data from the pilot is expected to be available in the end of December. FPWC will evaluate the results to see if it will offer the program to all of its customers in the future.
North Carolina Pilot Project Proves that Smart Meters Cut Back on Electricity Use
BY Ariel Schwartz
Mon Sep 21, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Wirelessly-connected smart grids are often heralded as the solution to our electricity-devouring ways, and now an IBM pilot project in North Carolina has proven that a grid equipped with smart meters (digital meters that record power usage in real time) can save businesses and homes up to 40% in energy costs. The pilot project, which began in July, outfitted participants with software from IBM and Consert that uses a Verizon 3G network to transmit information from smart meters to the Internet. The software allows participants to check daily energy use from the Internet, calculate a monthly target bill amount, and give the Fayetteville Public Works Commission permission to turn off appliances for brief spurts when the grid is strained and nobody is home. The Consert system can control up to 256 household devices to ensure that, say, the pool pump is turned off while residents are at work or not in the mood to go swimming. Participants in the smart grid trial can only track their energy usage from their computers at the moment, but a cell phone application is expected to be ready next year. And what about participants who lack Internet access? IBM equipped Internet-less households with a wireless broadband connection. Not everyone saved 40% on their electricity bills--some people just don't care enough to spend time tracking daily energy use--but the pilot proves that smart grids do at least have the potential to save consumers big bucks and relieve the pressure on utilities to pump out endless power during times of peak consumption.
IBM's North Carolina smart-grid trial shaves power
By Martin LaMonica
September 21, 2009 7:15 AM PDT
Data from a smart-grid pilot project which uses smart meters and wireless appliance controllers shows that such a system can cut electricity use by 15 percent on average. IBM and Consert have been running the project in Fayetteville, N.C., for the last six months and published the initial findings on Monday. On Tuesday, the GridWeek conference on the smart grid is scheduled to begin in Washington D.C. The term "smart grid" can mean different things to different people, but the pilot test in North Carolina provides a picture of smart-grid technologies in the home. Buildings were equipped with wireless smart meter and controllers for the major appliances in the home, such as dishwasher and HVAC systems. These devices communicate with a digital thermostat. A gateway can send information to the utility over a 3G wireless connection supplied by Verizon. The set-up allows people to see via a PC how much electricity they are consuming and to create a "profile" to improve efficiency. For example, a person can program the cooling system or hot water heater to turn off when people aren't in the home. In some instances, customers were able to cut electricity consumption by 40 percent, according IBM and Consert. Consumers can also chose to participate in the utility's demand response program where devices, such as a clothes dryer, are turned down for a few minutes during peak times. The energy-savings from the pilot test are consistent with other smart-grid projects. Many people are able to make adjustments to their home energy use simply by viewing real-time data which might spotlight a big energy user, such as a pool pump. Typically, tools to program home appliances are necessary to get deeper cuts in energy use, experts say.
IBM North Carolina smart-grid trial shaves power
Posted on Monday, September 21st, 2009 and is filed under BBC. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed. Data from a smart-grid pilot project which uses smart meters and wireless appliance controllers shows that consumers can cut electricity use by 15 percent on average. IBM and Consert have been running the project in Fayetteville, North Carolina for the last six months and published the initial findings on Monday. On Tuesday, the GridWeek conference on the smart grid is scheduled to begin in Washington D.C. The term “smart grid” can mean different things to different people, but the pilot test in North Carolina provides a picture of smart-grid technologies in the home. Buildings were equipped with wireless smart meter and controllers for the major appliances in the home, such as dishwasher and HVAC systems. These devices communicate with a digital thermostat. A gateway can send information to the utility over a 3G wireless connection supplied by Verizon.
North Carolina Smart Grid Test Showing Good Results
Posted By Nino Marchetti On September 21, 2009 @ 12:08 pm In Home and Garden The continued expansion of smart grids across the country finds another pilot project has being going on in Fayetteville, North Carolina, involving an energy start up called Consert, IBM and the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. This project has seen around 100 test installations put in commercial and residential locations, with reported energy savings of up to 40 percent. IBM says the pilot aims to reduce “ghost consumption on devices such as air conditioners and water heaters that draw energy when no one is home to use them.” Those participating in the smart grid let small controllers be placed on these high consumption devices, sending energy consumption information to a smart energy meter connected to the Internet for two-way communication with the power company. Users could go online to see and manually adjust their energy consumption, as well as voluntarily allowing the FPWC “to cycle their appliances off for brief periods during peak energy consumption events.” Consert has other ongoing pilot programs as well around the state.
Consert, IBM Show 20% Energy Savings In NC Smart Grid Pilot
By Sari Krieger venture capital
9/21/2009 – Smart-grid company Consert Inc. and International Business Machines Co. said they achieved about 20% energy savings overall on a pilot program they installed at 100 homes in Fayetteville, N.C. The Fayetteville Public Works Commission contracted with Consert to provide a smart-meter system that would reduce energy use and provide additional grid capacity during high use times, and it plans to roll out such a system beyond these 100 homes, eventually covering all 80,000 customers, said Keith Lynch, power supply manager for Fayetteville Public Works, in an interview with Clean Technology Insight. Consert was founded in 2008 and has a handful of other pilot programs in place. The company designs and custom orders the smart meters, communication hardware and other technologies needed to allow the utility to keep track of each home's power usage and to allow customers to automatically power down certain appliances at peak energy use times. Raleigh, N.C.-based Consert then contracted with Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM to supply the software that helps utilities make sense of all the incoming data. "The announcement today is that we have completed the installation of the pilot and we have our first encouraging data from the pilot," Consert Chief Executive Jack Roberts said in an interview. "The data suggests to us that we will get 20% savings or better for consumers who use our system." The companies wouldn't disclose the value of this deal, but for Consert this pilot is with the largest utility it has dealt with thus far. Lynch said the cost for this system won't be passed on to ratepayers. It was seen as a necessary expenditure in place of having to build another plant, he said. "This is the step beyond what everyone else is doing [with smart grid]," Lynch said. "It adds the economic component of generation, where everyone else is looking at the transmission and distribution side of things." He said the company plans to expand the program to about 20,000 of its customers within three years, and eventually to all 80,000. Although a commitment hasn't been made to grant Consert the remaining work, Lynch said Fayetteville has confidence in the Consert system. Shares of IBM closed up Friday 23 cents, or 0.2%, to $122.11 on the New York Stock Exchange. http://www.ibm.com http://www.consert.com/.
PWC pilot system gives users control
By Drew Brooks, Staff writer
Published: 12:00 AM, Tue Sep 22, 2009
Staff photo by Cindy Burnham James Wilson, left, a participant in the Public Works Commission's pilot program on energy use, talks with Jack Roberts, president and CEO of Consert Inc., on Monday. Consert worked with IBM and Verizon Wireless to develop a system that allows users to control their home energy consumption from a computer. James Wilson has been trying to reduce his energy consumption for years, but he has been stopped short in his efforts by "ghost" energy. "Ghost" energy has nothing to do with poltergeists or spooks, but is instead the term used by some to describe energy consumed by appliances when no one is home to use them. Wilson was able to reduce the amount ghost energy contributed to his monthly bill through participation in a pilot program offered through the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. In six months, Wilson saved 19 percent - or about $50 a month - at his Summertime Road home. "That's real money," Wilson said. "That adds up." The savings are coming through the use of a Web-based, real-time system that allows users to control their energy use and authorize PWC to cut down on power during more costly peak hours. On average, the 100 pilot participants are seeing savings of about 21 percent, according to Joe Forbes Jr., chief operating officer of Consert Inc. Raleigh-based Consert Inc. developed the system in collaboration with IBM, and with wireless services provided by Verizon Wireless. Roy Moore, chief development officer for Consert Inc., likened the system to a traffic cop. Participants in the pilot program had their homes outfitted with a device that communicates with PWC while certain appliances - air conditioners, water heaters and pool pumps - were outfitted with controllers. Moore said the Consert system allows users to change their thermostats or cut off their water heaters from any computer. Those appliances represent a large portion of a consumer's overall power bill, and cutting down on the amount of energy they lose can lead to big savings. "We're just making it convenient," Moore said, adding that it's a service many will come to expect in the future. Steve Blanchard, CEO and general manager of PWC, said the technology is cutting edge. "I don't think our forefathers would have considered the things we're going to talk about today," he told the audience before a presentation on the pilot program. No decision has been made on whether PWC will permanently adopt the program, a spokeswoman said. That determination will come after PWC has an opportunity to review and evaluate the data from the ongoing pilot program. Forbes said the system fits the lifestyle of the user instead of trying to force a lifestyle on them, conforming energy use to user profiles. It can also help users set and then reach a target energy bill, he said. Wilson has been trying for years to cut down on his energy use. He already had solar panels installed to heat water and said he's been installing more energy-efficient windows. He applauded the Consert program. "That's energy that was just being wasted," he said. "I don't want to cool the house when nobody's home." Wilson thinks that eventually the control offered in this latest pilot program will be the norm. Staff writer Drew Brooks can be reached at brooksd@fayobserver.com or 486-3567.
IBM Proves Smart Grid Reduces Energy Use By At Least 15%, Reveals Key to Success
By Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California
Published: 09.22.09
For the last six months, IBM has been testing a pilot project in Fayetteville, North Carolina, that aimed to find out what kind of energy savings could be realized by utilizing the smart grid and implementing simple habit changes. Yesterday they revealed the results so far, and found that the project showed an average of 15% energy savings at homes and businesses, and as much as a 40% savings in some homes. The trick to success is that very tool we've been watching develop and stake its claim as an invaluable piece of the energy conservation pie: The real-time user dashboard. If You Can See It, You Can Turn It Off It's become the obvious tool over the last few years - dashboards that allow users to see in real time what appliances, devices and systems are using what amount of energy, and when. We've moved (and must move) well beyond basic home energy monitors. While they're helpful on a small scale, for big changes across the board, user dashboards that are hooked up to an entire building's systems are the route to take. Companies like Agilewaves has shown already what kind of efficiency that can lead to, and now IBM with the big guns is moving it forward even more. Targeting Vampire Energy Wasters IBM and Concert worked together on the program, with the goal to highlight the energy used by "ghost" devices, which include air conditioners, water heaters, and other appliances that use electricity even when no one is around. Instant feedback from the smart meters provided participants with the ability to see when unnecessary energy was being used, and turn those devices down or off. The trick to eliminating vampire power is the personalized, web-based displays for each business or residence. After all, if it can be measured, it can be managed. As the companies state: "Utilizing software by IBM and Consert, participants can set their daily use profiles, check their energy consumption from an Internet connection, select a monthly target bill amount, and authorize FPWC to cycle their appliances off for brief periods during peak energy consumption events. Data is transmitted over the 3G Verizon Wireless network." Dashboards Put People At the Center of Smart Energy Use The smart grid is so much more than simply user dashboards - everything from power generation and storage from renewable energy sources, to automated dialogue between utilities and household appliances and systems are included in a fully functioning smart grid - but dashboards have proven themselves again to be a key component because when you get right down to it, people are the ones using the energy and so people need to know where the energy is being wasted. "The only way we're going make energy grids greener is to add instrumentation and intelligence. Projects like these illustrate that with the right technology and partnerships, it can be done," said Chris O'Connor, an IBM vice president. "Technology is at the core of the next generation of smart grids and IBM is making significant investments into research, skills development and partners to make smart grids a reality."
IBM's Smart Grid Test Run Cuts Power Use by 15 Percent
By GreenBiz Staff
ARMONK, NY — IBM yesterday unveiled the results of a smart grid pilot project that aims to show how much energy savings are possible through the use of electricity monitoring devices. In partnership with Consert, IBM installed controller devices in 100 businesses and residences on appliances and other energy-intensive items. The controllers conveyed energy usage to the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) over the course of six months. The results show significant savings available from relatively easy changes to behavior. After six months of the pilot project, the average savings at homes and businesses was 15 percent; after the six-month trial period Consert has measured energy savings of as much as 40 percent in some participating homes. A key to the project was the use of personalized, web-based displays for each business or residence that allowed facility managers or homeowners to log in and see how much energy their appliances and gadgets are using in real-time. the project also allows the FPWC to manage energy use from these devices during high electricity demand periods. The companies' goal with the pilot project was to highlight the energy used by "ghost" devices: air conditioners, water heaters, and other devices that are using electricity even when no one is around. With the instant information provided by the smart meters, individuals and businesses are able to see when unecessary energy is being used, and turn those devices down or off. In addition to saving companies on their energy bills, electric utilities are pushing for smart technology as a way to reduce demand on the electric grid during peaks. With technologies like those at work in the IBM/Consert pilot project in place, a utility can cycle devices on and off for short intervals to cut down on energy used by any given location. "The only way we're going make energy grids greener is to add instrumentation and intelligence. Projects like these illustrate that with the right technology and partnerships, it can be done," said Chris O'Connor, an IBM vice president. "Technology is at the core of the next generation of smart grids and IBM is making significant investments into research, skills development and partners to make smart grids a reality." IBM has also unveiled a new project to take smart grids to the next level. Last week, the company announced a partnership with the city of Dubuque, Iowa, to turn that city into a keystone in IBM's "Smarter Planet" initiative. The project will incorporate a host of smart sensoring technologies to help city officials, local businesses and residents measure and manage their resource use, with an end goal of minimizing the environmental impact of the city of 60,000 people. The first two phases of the Dubuque partnership involve IBM's construction of a "Platform for Real-Time Integrated Sustainability Monitoring," allowing city officials to oversee current energy and water use as well as general city services. At the same time, the city is incorporating into its ongoing citywide water-meter replacement project a device called the "Unmeasured Flow Reducer," which gives end users highly accurate measurements of water use and pinpoint areas that can benefit from greater water efficiency. All told, the project will bring as many as 1,300 green jobs to Dubuque, through iBM's new technology services delivery center in downtown Dubuque. "The results of this partnership will empower citizens with decision-making tools to change how they impact the world," said Iowa Governor Chet Culver. "The State of Iowa is a proud partner in this undertaking to contribute to global sustainability efforts." For more information on IBM's Smarter Cities project, visit www.ibm.com/smartercities; and to see a demonstration of the company's North Carolina smart-grid technology, Consert has posted a short video on YouTube.
North Carolina smart grid pilot saves households up to 40 percent
September 22 2009
IBM and Consert, a Raleigh, N.C.-based intelligent energy distribution and management network provider, announced the completion of a smart grid pilot project coordinated in conjunction with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. During a six-month pilot, almost 100 commercial and residential participants used Consert software with smart meter and software applications technology based on IBM software including DB2, WebSphere and Tivoli. Some participating households saw a reduction in energy consumption of up to 40 percent, something John Morrison, North Carolina Commerce Assistant Secretary for Energy, thinks bodes well for his state. “By demonstrating an effective smart grid consumer application, Fayetteville Public Works Commission is taking a significant step to further smart grid adoption,” Mr. Morrison said in a statement. “I am optimistic about growth in this part of the green economy, creating benefits for consumers and utilities, as well as creating jobs, spurring innovation and attracting investments for the application of intelligent technology to how we deliver and use electricity.” Participants were able to set daily use profiles, check energy consumption in real-time from an Internet connection, select monthly target bill amounts, and authorize FPWC to cycle their appliance off during peak energy consumption periods. Network connectivity was provided by Verizon Wireless, and according to IBM officials, consumers will be able to perform these same tasks from PDAs and mobile phones by early next year. “The only way we’re going make energy grids greener is to add instrumentation and intelligence. Projects like these illustrate that with the right technology and partnerships, it can be done,” said Chris O’Connor, Vice President Strategy & Market Management for IBM Tivoli Software in a statement. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) set aside nearly $4 billion for smart grid advancement, with more than $615 million for regional demonstration projects. IBM is working with clients in nearly 50 smart grid projects, the company said. And earlier this year, they announced a financing program to provide prospective clients access to $2 billion in key stimulus areas, including smart grid deployment and research. “Technology is at the core of the next generation of smart grids and IBM is making significant investments into research, skills development and partners to make smart grids a reality,” Mr. O’Connor said. Spending on smart grid infrastructure will exceed $33 billion by 2014, according to NextGen Research.
