EnerNOC, a smart grid firm primarily focused upon demand-response technology, has launched an innovative new tool that will help end users gain visibility into their energy consumption. Using the same open-platform technology that popular instant messaging programs are built upon, EnerNOC hopes to move beyond its core competencies to expand into new territory.EnerNOC introduced PowerTalk on April 28. It uses the same XMPP protocol commonly used in Internet communications such as instant messaging, chat rooms, and voice and video conferencing. Except instead of casual Web chat, PowerTalk will actively monitor signals sent by smart meters or other intelligent devices.PowerTalk works by giving smart devices the ability to send status messages at repeated intervals – every five minutes or so. So while browsing the Internet a PowerTalk user could check the status of their smart meter at a quick glance – just as they might check to see who is online. According to David Brewster, EnerNOC CEO, the company is integrating PowerTalk within all of its solutions and is already testing it with more than 250 customers.
EnerNOC’s core business, demand response, helps utilities level supply with demand – a service that keeps energy prices down and prevents power outages. During times of peak consumption, demand-response also gives utilities the ability to automatically reduce the amount of power a household is using. EnerNOC’s solution allows grid operators to purchase power that remains unused with the proceeds returning to the utility and its customers.
EnerNOC plans to use PowerTalk to give its customers outage and voltage information in real time. That way, utilities will have a general idea of the health of the power grid at a quick glance.
“Utilities don’t know they’ve had an outage until someone calls them up,” said Brewster. “Now they know instantly if the power is out, and would also get instantaneous voltage readings.”
The discovery could also make EnerNOC’s current demand-response solutions even more accurate. Since PowerTalk gives EnerNOC frequent updates regarding its customers’ systems, grid operators will know precisely how much power is available through the demand-response service. Having this information on hand will lessen the number of times grid operators are forced to fire-up power plants that are otherwise kept offline.
“Grid operators are used to getting feeds from central power stations at second intervals,” said Brewster. “This levels the playing field for demand response and I think it’s going to play a major role in making grid operators feel comfortable with this resource.”
EnerNOC has also found that PowerTalk assisted in setting up new customers since it eliminates the need to establish a virtual private network (VPN) and automates status messaging. PowerTalk also reduces the workload taken on by smart meters by only requiring them to send a status message when the status changes. “There’s not a lot of overhead, because it’s not constantly sending ‘I’m here, I’m here, I’m here’,” explained Brewster. “We’ll just know instantly if anything changes.”
EnerNOC believes that the open-platform PowerTalk service will make its solutions more interoperable. According to Jesse Berst of industry expert Global Smart Energy that depends whether or not the rest of the industry will use the service. Considering the potential number of communication protocols out there it will certainly face some competition.
EnerNOC
75 Federal Street
Suite 300
Boston, MA 02110
http://www.enernoc.com
Global Smart Energy
15127 NE 24th #358
Redmond, WA 98052
http://www.globalsmartenergy.com
EnerNOC plans to use PowerTalk to give its customers outage and voltage information in real time. That way, utilities will have a general idea of the health of the power grid at a quick glance.
“Utilities don’t know they’ve had an outage until someone calls them up,” said Brewster. “Now they know instantly if the power is out, and would also get instantaneous voltage readings.”
The discovery could also make EnerNOC’s current demand-response solutions even more accurate. Since PowerTalk gives EnerNOC frequent updates regarding its customers’ systems, grid operators will know precisely how much power is available through the demand-response service. Having this information on hand will lessen the number of times grid operators are forced to fire-up power plants that are otherwise kept offline.
“Grid operators are used to getting feeds from central power stations at second intervals,” said Brewster. “This levels the playing field for demand response and I think it’s going to play a major role in making grid operators feel comfortable with this resource.”
EnerNOC has also found that PowerTalk assisted in setting up new customers since it eliminates the need to establish a virtual private network (VPN) and automates status messaging. PowerTalk also reduces the workload taken on by smart meters by only requiring them to send a status message when the status changes. “There’s not a lot of overhead, because it’s not constantly sending ‘I’m here, I’m here, I’m here’,” explained Brewster. “We’ll just know instantly if anything changes.”
EnerNOC believes that the open-platform PowerTalk service will make its solutions more interoperable. According to Jesse Berst of industry expert Global Smart Energy that depends whether or not the rest of the industry will use the service. Considering the potential number of communication protocols out there it will certainly face some competition.
EnerNOC
75 Federal Street
Suite 300
Boston, MA 02110
http://www.enernoc.com
Global Smart Energy
15127 NE 24th #358
Redmond, WA 98052
http://www.globalsmartenergy.com
