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Reducing Peak Load with Demand Response

Demand Response (DR) is a key smart grid application, with significant benefits in reducing the imbalance between supply and demand, especially during peak load conditions, while also improving grid reliability. Silver Spring provides a turnkey Demand Response solution, incorporating utility back-office software, a customer engagement platform,, services, and an array of Home Area Networking (HAN) devices.

Leveraging AMI to support Demand Response enables utilities to cost-effectively extend DR to residential and small- to medium-size commercial customers.

UtilityIQ Demand Response Manager (DRM) is at the heart of this Silver Spring solution. UtilityIQ DRM combines both load control and pricing signals to motivate customers to reduce their energy usage during peak hours. The software enables utilities to offer their customers highly tailored DR programs and to review real-time and historical results of DR programs to evaluate their effectiveness.

Within the back-office software, utilities can set up business rules and enroll customers as they define the various DR programs. Utilities can load a range of rate plans, including flat, TOU, variable peak pricing (VPP), block rate, and real-time price plans. The software also simplifies the administration of DR programs, with extensive device, network, and event management as well as reports for measurement and validation of the programs.

The UtilityIQ Demand Response Manager software leverages Silver Spring Direct-to-Grid™ communications or the 2.4 GHz ZigBee radio in Silver Spring-enabled meters to send messages to in-home devices. Silver Spring runs a HAN device qualification program to ensure third-party device interoperability with the Silver Spring Smart Energy Platform. UtilityIQ DRM also supports Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), or charging stations, with direct load control functionality to ensure grid reliability with reduced load during peak demand time.

Utilities can deploy the Silver Spring CustomerIQ customer engagement platform along with UtilityIQ DRM to provide customers with near-real-time feedback on usage as well as information on DR programs.

Silver Spring also provides extensive deployment and support services that have helped make numerous installations successful worldwide. The company offers both project management and HAN device installation services.

Support for an array of flexible and tailored DR programs
Management of a broad range of rate plans
EV charge scheduling, load control, and metering
Extensive management of HAN, EVSE, and network devices
Creation of groups to receive targeted events, defined by distribution node, geographic area, device type, manufacturer, and model details
Ability to send load-control and pricing events and messages, with the option to estimate load-shed potential