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Eversource Earns Award for Using Smart Technology to Reduce Peak Energy Usage

BOSTON — An Eversource program that pays customers to use less electricity during high-demand periods has received an award for Outstanding Achievement in Residential Program Design & Implementation by the Assoc. of Energy Services Professionals.

The award recognizes the company’s ConnectedSolutions demand-response program, which leverages customer-owned devices, such as wireless thermostats, battery storage, and electric-vehicle chargers, to reduce electric use during peak periods, when the cost and greenhouse-gas emissions of electricity in New England are at their highest.

“We’re honored to be recognized for our commitment and vision for a decarbonized grid,” said Eversource Vice President of Energy Efficiency Tilak Subrahmanian. “This program allows us to optimize flexible resources and harness them for energy savings on a regional level, which reduces our reliance on costlier, fossil-fueled generation. This is another example of how we’re working to help our customers better manage their energy.”

More than 9,000 customers have enrolled in the volunteer demand-response program in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Customers allow their devices to automatically communicate with Eversource during regional peak energy periods, resulting in a short reduction of power or, in the case of batteries, a reduction of the stored energy. Residential customers with eligible connected wireless thermostats, battery storage, or electric-vehicle chargers can participate and earn incentives ranging from $20 to more than $1,000 a year, depending on their connected device. The energy company anticipates that, at full enrollment, the collective ability to call on these customers during high-demand periods could have the environmental equivalent effect of taking 20,000 homes off the grid.

Eversource is looking to get thousands of customer-owned devices enrolled over the next three years, amounting to approximately 100 megawatts in total. Customers who are interested in learning more should e-mail [email protected].