Co-Chair Kevin Knight Baltimore Gas & Electric

Co-Chair Corey Wheat Copeland

What's Old is New Again: Rethinking Switch-based HVAC Control
Switch-based control networks are the overlooked, unsexy stepchild of residential DR. Quietly, unassumingly, they have been reliably delivering MW and continuing to evolve under the radar alongside the smart, glamorous, more favored peers: thermostat-based programs. Smart T-stat programs are underperforming and costing utilities more than expected, plus the hassle of dealing with middle men at OEMs and aggregators has caused LSEs to rethink their approach to Residential DR. New technologies like 2-way switches, updated AMI networks for effective dispatch and performance tracking, cost-effective, reliable capacity, and years of market acceptance have led some utilities to rethink the value of switch-based HVAC networks. Is cheap, simple, direct, and true enough to complete with expensive, smart, mediated, and uncertain?

Aaron Kendall Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Jonathan Budner Franklin Energy

Co-Chair Allison Hamilton National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Co-Chair Joana Abreu Efficiency Vermont

Scaling Down: Smaller Utility DR Programs Where Every Customer Counts
Every utility, regardless of size, has an important role to play in managing peak demand. Although many factors are involved in the success of a demand response program, all demand flexibility programs and VPPs thrive with one simple ingredient: customer enrollment and participation. This panel will dive into Northeastern REMC’s smart thermostat program's success and enrollment strategies. We’ll also highlight the technology needed to ensure continued engagement and retention in these types of programs. Join us as we discuss how to connect and engage with customers to incentivize their enrollment and participation in demand response.

Alex Aznar Virtual Peaker

Christopher Todd Northeastern REMC

Co-Chair Beth Reid Olivine Inc.

Co-Chair Ross Malme Malme Energy Consulting

Overcoming Certification Hurdles to Build Stronger Vendor-Utility Partnerships
The certification and approval process is a significant hurdle for technology vendors looking to scale within utility operations. Lengthy, complex and costly procedures—such as testing protocols and vendor qualification—can extend project timelines and increase costs, straining vendor-utility relationships. Regulatory requirements add further complexity, with varying standards across regions and jurisdictions, delaying technology adoption. Speakers from TRC, Edge Zero and Dominion Energy Virginia will give consultant, technology vendor and utility-provider perspectives on the challenges vendors face and how delays hinder business and innovation. They will also explore how early transparency and collaboration can help navigate these hurdles. The utility perspective, represented by Dominion Energy Virginia, will address the role of certification in ensuring safety, compliance, and grid reliability. Speakers will discuss ways vendors and utilities can collaborate to streamline processes, improve communication, and create a more efficient path for technology adoption at scale.

Derek Kirchner TRC Companies

Jonathan "J.T." Thompson Edge Zero

Santosh Veda Dominion Energy

Sponsored by E Source

Co-Chair Olivia Patterson Opinion Dynamics

Co-Chair Joel Schofield Threshold

Driving the Grid Forward: Transformer-Constrained EV Managed Charging
As electric vehicle (EV) adoption accelerates, managing grid impacts at the local level is crucial. This panel brings together Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC), Duquesne Light Company (DLC), and Camus Energy to explore innovative solutions for transformer-constrained EV managed charging. VEC will share insights from their pilot program using managed EV charging to avoid transformer overloading. DLC will present findings from a grid-wide analysis on the value of transformer-constrained charging strategies. Camus will discuss their experience integrating data sources to enable planning and operational workflows for grid-constrained EV charge management. Attendees will learn practical strategies for balancing local grid reliability with electrification goals.

Sarah Colvin Camus Energy

Alex Rosenblatt Duquesne Light Company

Gabe Petlin California Public Utilities Commission

East vs. West: A Tale of Two Utilities and their Load Control Switch Journey
Welcome to the tale of 2 utilities - one on the East Coast and one on the West – both originally deployed 1-way (pager-enabled) load control switches for their DR programs and both have fully deployed RF mesh networked AMI systems. But one has completed their transition to 2-way switches using their AMI network, while the other is in the conversion process. During this panel discussion, we will review where each of them is, and hear about their experiences and lessons learned, including their thoughts on the benefits and pitfalls of sharing communications with the meter shop.

Susan Marinelli Pepco Holdings

Wendy Brummer Pacific Gas & Electric

Christine Cole Itron

Bridging the Gap: Collaboration Between Cooperatives and IOUs in Flexible Load Management
Rural electric cooperatives (co-ops) face unique challenges in managing flexible loads, ensuring grid reliability and integrating distributed energy resources (DERs). Co-ops often have fewer resources and infrastructure than larger investor-owned utilities (IOUs), yet their ability to adapt to changing demand and decentralized generation is vital for grid stability. While challenges like limited access to advanced technologies and data exist, the co-op membership model encourages innovation and member-focused solutions. This panel, moderated by Edge Zero with representatives from three co-ops, will address these hurdles, including data access, communication barriers and funding challenges for grid technologies. Each utility will explore how these factors influence their approach to load management and grid operations, sharing insights and best practices beneficial for both co-ops and IOUs. The panel will also discuss strategies for enhanced collaboration between co-ops and IOUs, promoting a more resilient and reliable grid in the face of growing clean energy demand.

Moderator Jessie Peters Edge Zero

Peter Rossi Vermont Electric Cooperative

Michael Ryan Kit Carson Electric Cooperative

Re-Tuning the Trade Ally Network to Meet Large Demand Response Goals
For many utilities to meet their ambitious demand response targets in the coming years, it will take a village – or as we call it in the demand-side management program world, a strong Trade Ally (TA) Network. TA Networks have long been relied upon by energy efficiency program implementers to achieve and scale efficient market transformation. However, very few demand response programs presently leverage these networks. Previously dominated by lighting contractors, TA Networks have evolved to include more diverse providers of efficient building equipment and services, and now – demand response market partners. Our session offers an overview of the key market partners capable of moving the needle on demand response enrollment and performance, as well as the shared experience of Generac, GridBeyond, TRC, and our utility partners in developing new strategies to engage these market actors, including challenges encountered, lessons learned, and results achieved to date.

Maddie Emerson TRC Companies

Randall Chasten Generac Power Systems

Christian Mapes GridBeyond

Chris DeLaTorre Evergy

Sponsored by E Source

Improving on Success: Revisiting Consumers Energy’s PowerMIDrive Program
By focusing on outcomes and accessibility, Consumers Energy’s PowerMIDrive program has become one of the most successful EV load management programs in the US. PowerMIDrive uses AMI-based passive EV load management - more than 90% of all charging happens overnight and less than 2% of charging occurs during system peak hours. Since presenting at the 2023 EV Symposium, participation in the PowerMIDrive program has more than doubled, and importantly, 50% of grid impacting vehicles are enrolled. This presentation will highlight some of the innovative changes to the program, and the data that has informed them. One new feature addresses “timer peaks” by spreading EV load throughout overnight hours, and Consumers/Sagewell monitor distribution system stress for high value peak reduction target marketing. Even after the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) added a 12-month cap on incentives, former participants continue to charge off-peak at nearly the same level.

Jeff Myrom Consumers Energy

Gary Smith Sagewell

Co-Chair Melissa Leymon Oracle Water & Utilities

Co-Chair Dave Alspector Tierra Resource Consultants

Batteries Unleashed: Supercharging Benefits Through Smarter Storage Programs
Battery storage systems can offer myriad benefits ranging from resiliency, peak demand reduction, and energy arbitrage (to name a few). Programs incentivizing adoption of energy storage technologies are proliferating throughout the country – California provides upfront incentives for the installation of battery storage systems that serve a customer’s needs. In other states like Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont, different models are emerging ranging from utility ownership of batteries, utility/aggregator dispatch of batteries, and pay for performance programs. California currently finds itself at a crossroads regarding the future of battery storage. The State has provided incentives for tens of thousands of battery storage systems and produced tangible benefits to both participants and non-participants, providing resiliency during multi-day outages, generating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, reducing system peak load, and delivering bill savings to customers. At the same time, research has shown that residential batteries are only discharging roughly 45% of their kWh capacity on average on a daily basis and 16% of their kW capacity during the system peak hour. As California looks to the future, should its battery program be considered a success given the benefits listed above, or are we only beginning to scratch the surface of potential benefits? Optimal dispatch modeling suggests that a battery optimized to provide grid benefits could provide 4x the societal benefits than systems are currently providing, and a system optimized for GHG emissions reductions could achieve 3x the reductions observed today. Exposing customers to marginal-cost based rates could dramatically improve grid benefits but significantly reduce bill savings.

William Marin Verdant Associates

Gabe Petlin California Public Utilities Commission

Co-Chair Chris Ashley EnergyHub

Co-Chair Jeff Ihnen Michaels Energy

Unlocking Growth: Empowering Commercial and SMB Customers in DR
In 2024, PGE’s Energy Partner Smart Thermostat (EPST) and Energy Partner On Demand (EPOD) programs achieved unprecedented growth, with the EPST program experiencing a remarkable 260% increase in participation. Despite the challenges of engaging commercial and industrial customers in demand response & programs—where C&I customers constitute less than 2% of DR participants but deliver over 50% of peak demand savings nationwide—PGE has made significant strides in scaling its programs. This session will explore the strategies that fueled these successes in 2024, from innovative customer engagement tactics and connected device integration to addressing barriers specific to the C&I sector. Attendees will gain actionable insights on scaling commercial load management programs, engaging underserved communities, and aligning DR efforts with decarbonization goals, while learning best practices for unlocking the immense potential of C&I customers in DR programs.

Gabriel Kjos Portland General Electric

Daniel Glatman Resideo

Co-Chair Katie Parkinson Apex Analytics

Co-Chair Hayley Burns TRC Companies

Accelerating DR Program Enrollment in British Columbia through an Innovative Partnership
BC Hydro and Mysa have developed an innovative partnership to grow the Peak Saver residential demand response program in British Columbia. Building on several years of success with a point-of-purchase instant rebate program for smart line voltage thermostats (via Mysa's online marketplace), mid-way through last winter (2023-2024) Mysa enabled in-purchase enrollment for BC Hydro's residential demand response program. Following its initial success, the entire shopping experience for BC Hydro customers was customized and optimized for enrolling new customers in Peak Saver. Pre-enrollment rates exceeded 70% for the first several weeks of the campaign this winter, resulting in thousands of new enrolled devices. The average enrollment rate is significantly higher than it was last season. About 1/3 of Mysa customers in BC is enrolled in Peak Saver, allowing BC Hydro to manage tens of thousands of thermostats. Plans to reach Mysa customers who have not yet enrolled are underway.

Arien Korteland BC Hydro

Peter Gifford Mysa

Co-Chair Brad Davids WeaveGrid

Co-Chair Jacob Chacko Eaton

Load Flexibility For All: Dynamic Rates for Commercial Customers
Discover how today’s commercial buildings can be enabled to deploy artificial intelligence to “shift and shimmy” in response to dynamic pricing. This session will explain that with the help of innovative software, commercial customers can reduce costs and enhance resiliency by leveraging hourly electricity prices through SCE's Dynamic Rate Pilot. We're not just talking about managing HVAC systems, but all flexible loads behind the meter including EV charging and stationery batteries. This overview of a dynamic price response demonstration at multiple sites is a postcard from the future - real customers controlling real equipment in response to real-time prices. We'll share promising results from multiple sites that participated in SCE’s Dynamic Rate Pilot, that deepen our understanding of the range and variability of load flexibility.

John Powers Elexity

Mark Martinez Southern California Edison

Understanding the Impact of DER Adoption on Load Shapes
Since 2021, EPRI, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and seven electric utilities have been exploring the propensity of residential and commercial customers to adopt a range DER technologies (solar PV, energy storage, and/or electric vehicles and attendant charging infrastructure). Funded by the DOE, this effort has entailed collecting/analyzing a comprehensive survey data set to discern customer adoption preferences, assessing real-world customer interconnection and premise-level metering data to determine baseline customer load shapes from which to extrapolate the effects of DER adoption, and developing a forecasting tool for modeling national/regional adoption outlooks. This presentation will describe key takeaways from the stated and revealed customer survey results, and then focus in on the implications of DER adoption on customer energy use. It will discuss the time-differentiated and aggregate differences in consumption between DER non-adopters, singular adopters, and co-adopters to characterize prospective load shape management opportunities.

Nadav Enbar EPRI

Krish Gomatom EPRI

Beyond the Screen: Engaging Small-to-Medium Non-Residential Customers
Demand management programs are becoming increasingly critical for electric utilities, benefitting participants while supporting grid reliability and sustainability goals. However, securing enrollments from small-to-medium-sized commercial accounts requires more than a “one-size-fits-all” approach. These customers are traditionally non-managed accounts, and despite their interest in being part of the solution, they require flexible program options, reliable event strategies and a customized event day action plan to meet their specific needs. This presentation will showcase Xcel Energy’s Demand Management portfolio, which includes programs such as Peak Partner Rewards and Peak Flex Credit. Xcel Energy designed this portfolio specifically to serve the non-managed customer base. Michaels Energy, the implementation contractor, provided marketing and engineering support tailored to these often-overlooked customer groups. By combining technical expertise with personalized engagement, this presentation demonstrates how utilities can effectively connect with small-to-medium businesses, enable them to participate, and inspire their commitment to energy efficiency and carbon reduction goals.

Joseph Koski Xcel Energy

Tyler Kashdan Michaels Energy

Multifamily Line Voltage Thermostats: A Load Flexibility Story in Progress
NEEA and Puget Sound Energy partnered on a winter load flexibility study on Line Voltage Thermostats (LVTs) in multifamily buildings. We aimed to understand the current load shifting potential of LVTs for baseboard heating, learn about building owner and tenant recruitment, and test event strategies to limit customer impact. We identified opportunities to improve future results (such as technology enhancements and building envelope energy efficiency). We installed LVTs and Wi-Fi in two multifamily properties. We educated tenants about how to sign-up and receive participation incentives by responding to surveys throughout the study period. Several event calling protocols were tested (morning/evening, event duration, and event frequency). Utility meter and telemetry data were analyzed to assess impact. We will share findings, key learnings, and next steps to maximize potential for multifamily load flexibility. Additionally, we will highlight coordination between energy efficiency and load flexibility to achieve better customer experience and results.

Tom Smith Puget Sound Energy

Brenda Hunt Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

Innovation and Interoperability via adoption of OpenADR 3.0
Using the PG&E’s Peak Day Pricing and Critical Peak Pricing Programs as examples, this session highlights the real-world challenges that OpenADR 20 users have had in supporting the standard and the innovation that can be unlocked with the recent release of OpenADR 3.0. OpenADR 3.0 provides simplicity at a time when technology is becoming more complex, offers a modern web service design that is easier to use, provides added functionality which makes energy management easier and future-proofs energy systems. The speakers will share unique insights about the development of the OpenADR 3.0 standard, major technical departures from previous versions and how OpenADR 3.0 will accelerate interoperability of DERs into flexible load programs. The session will showcase various projects leveraging the new standard, standard adoption into ADR programs and where OpenADR fits in with other “hot” standards (CSA Matter 1.4, IEEE 2030.5).

Robert Anderson Olivine

Albert Chiu Pacific Gas and Electric