VAEEC is pleased to spotlight the companies, organizations, utilities and municipalities it works with to advance energy efficiency in Virginia.

August 2012 Industry Spotlight: Comverge
http://www.comverge.com

With more than 500 utility and 2,100 commercial customers, as well as five million residential deployments, Comverge brings unparalleled industry knowledge and experience to offer the most reliable, easy-to-use, and cost-effective intelligent energy management programs. We deliver the insight and control that enables energy providers and consumers to optimize their power usage through the industry’s only proven, comprehensive set of technology, services and information management solutions.

In what ways does your company promote or service energy efficiency in Virginia?

Comverge works with a variety of customers across the country to deploy intelligent energy management solutions that optimize the deployment and execution of demand response programs such as direct load control and dynamic pricing. In Virginia, Comverge provides services to Dominion Virginia Power by providing the technology, both hardware and software, to enable its AC cycling program. This program allows Dominion to call upon the AC cycling switches to reduce the energy load during peak demand hours.

What do you tell your customers is the value of energy efficiency?

The solutions that utilities incorporate into their energy efficiency and demand response programs are important resources.  Demand for energy is growing rapidly in areas of Virginia and it will take a portfolio of generation, efficiency and demand reduction efforts to ensure a reliable, affordable supply is available.

What innovations or trends do you hope to see in the near future? 

As technology and energy policy continue to evolve in Virginia, we will see exciting new energy management solutions. With the expansion of smart grid and advanced metering infrastructure throughout the country, we will have unprecedented information and control over the energy we use in both residential and commercial applications.  As the consumer learns more about where they are using energy, and when they are provided with the appropriate incentives, their usage habits will change to be more efficient.  Additionally, with advanced metering technology, distributed generation will become a reality and alternate energy sources such as solar and wind will be able to contribute more cost-effectively to the energy portfolio.

What do you hope to accomplish as part of the VAEEC? 

We hope to continue the great work begun by the Virginia utilities and the SCC in raising awareness across industry, consumer and political groups on the advantages of energy efficiency and demand response solutions.  We hope to combine our know-how, market reach and ideas with the stakeholders across the state to develop the compelling story of energy efficiency and promote efforts to enable the market to grow for this critical element of Virginia’s energy solution.