Tendril Achieves First Open ADR Compliant Platform
January 29, 2009
Electric Power Research Institute Validates Tendril’s TREE System in an OpenADR Residential Automated Demand Response Application
Boulder, CO – January 29, 2009 – Tendril, a leading provider of demand-side management solutions for the utility industry, today announced that the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) validated that the Tendril Residential Energy Ecosystem (TREE) Platform could automatically shed residential loads upon receiving critical peak pricing and real-time pricing messages from an OpenADR compliant server.
The implementation included a ZigBee® Smart Energy demand response load control system. TREE accepted critical peak pricing messages from a system serving OpenADR compliant communications and transformed them to the ZigBee Smart Energy profile to shed load on devices in the consumer’s home. If a message exceeded pre-determined price limits, a load shed command was sent to the ZigBee enabled TREE devices in EPRI’s Energy Efficiency Laboratory to reduce load by switching off power to end-use devices.
The ability to be compliant with open standards like the OpenADR standard is a significant step toward greater interoperability of smart grid technology. The TREE Platform can now successfully:
- Provide demand response solutions that enable machine-to-machine load control signaling for critical peak and real-time pricing scenarios to residential customers who have opted into OpenADR programs;
- Automate the home area network (HAN) to respond to OpenADR critical peak pricing messages and conditions; and
- Display more accurate, immediate and actionable OpenADR critical peak pricing information to users on an in-home display or Web browser.
“Utilities are increasingly looking for a scalable demand side management platform in which they can extend a variety of smart energy applications, including energy efficiency, demand response and dynamic, customized pricing programs. Peak pricing and critical load control events are especially important for capacity-constrained energy providers in need of preserving grid stability,” said Adrian Tuck, CEO, Tendril. “We’re excited to continue our seamless support for open standards that enable energy providers to better control, communicate and integrate with significant and timely energy management initiatives.”
The OpenADR standard outlines specific communication models that use the Internet to send DR signals to end-use customer systems. The standard, initially developed for commercial and industrial applications, may be leveraged in residential settings to reduce cost, promote interoperability among DR technologies and allow utilities and energy providers to better manage pricing and critical load issues while actively engaging their consumers.
About Tendril
Tendril enables true 21st century energy efficiency by establishing a dialog between consumers and their energy providers. The Tendril Residential Energy Ecosystem (TREE) is comprised of an open, extensible and standards-based platform for energy management, a comprehensive suite of energy management applications (like Demand Response and Time-of-Use Pricing) and a suite of in-home hardware devices (like thermostats and outlets). TREE is a comprehensive and consumer-centric solution that is designed to integrate seamlessly with a Utility’s or Energy Retailers’ existing back office applications and network infrastructure allowing consumers and their energy companies to communicate, collaborate and create — Smart Energy for Life™.
Media Contacts:
Marie Bahl for Tendril
303.468.4445
mbahl@tendrilinc.com
Steve Propper for Blanc & Otus
415.856.5114
spropper@blancandotus.com