Anchorage, Alaska – March 8, 2010 — Chugach Electric Association and Tendril, an energy management technology provider, have teamed up with 90 Chugach residential customers to determine whether on-site energy monitors help people lower their energy consumption and electric bills.

The research project, dubbed “Watt Buster,” is funded by Chugach and a matching grant from the Alaska Energy Authority. Watt Buster also has a commercial component, which is monitoring electric, gas and air quality systems at 30 commercial buildings.

The residential component of Watt Buster uses the Tendril platform. Each home receives a monitor that records energy use and displays near real-time feedback on energy consumption. Through a Web portal and a small counter-top display device, participants see how much power they are using, the cost, and compare energy consumption with their historical consumption.

After the trial period, data about participants’ energy use will be compiled and compared to the same months in previous years.

“Chugach is committed to energy efficiency efforts that save members money on their electric bills and reduce their carbon footprint,” Chugach CEO Brad Evans said.

Chugach Board President Rebecca Logan said “Watt Buster is part of SmartPower, Chugach’s long-term initiative to work with our members, utility partners and other energy-related entities to use our resources wisely. We’re very excited about Watt Buster and its potential to help members use energy in their homes more efficiently.”

“The Watt Buster program will demonstrate what a powerful motivational tool a monitor can be, and the huge benefits that both Chugach and its customers can realize very quickly,” Tendril CEO Adrian Tuck said.

“It also shows that innovative energy co-ops like Chugach can move quickly to roll out new technology to its customers. The key is presenting the customer with a tool that offers an engaging and rewarding experience, such that they incorporate its use into their daily lives and continue to realize extra savings. We believe this partnership and program will do just that,” Tuck said.

Chugach is the largest electric utility in Alaska, providing power for Alaskans throughout the Railbelt through retail, wholesale and economy energy sales. The company serves more than 66,000 members (more than 78,000 active meters) in a service territory which extends from Anchorage to the northern Kenai Peninsula, and from Whittier on Prince William Sound to Tyonek on the west side of Cook Inlet.

About Tendril

Tendril is a leading energy management technology provider that brings unprecedented insight and control to the Smart Grid. The Tendril platform provides an open, secure and scalable end-to-end solution that creates a two-way dialogue between energy providers and their customers. The platform includes both utility and in-home products and applications, and integrates seamlessly with existing back office applications and network infrastructure. Tendril is venture backed by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Good Energies, RRE Ventures, Vista Ventures, GE and Appian Ventures. For more information, please visit www.tendrilinc.com.

Tendril Media contact:
Sarah Blanchard
Parsons Public Relations
sarah@parsonspr.com
206-789-5668

Chugach Media Contact:
Patti Bogan:
907-762-4736, cell 907-242-0704

Pretty smart.

“We believe the transformation of the energy economy will be every bit as great as the transformation of the information and communications economy we have witnessed over the past 20 years,” Tuck told the subcommittee. “But while the consumer market is a powerful force for change, like all markets, it will only be truly effective when it has accurate and actionable information. Federal policy, supporting entrepreneurs and American competitiveness, can provide that information and support innovation.”

Tuck explained that technology platforms, like Tendril’s, work by linking residential customers with the utilities, and enable utilities to provide consumers with simple-to-use devices such as smart thermostats and home energy monitors that allow consumers to manage their energy. Benefits include less consumption of energy by consumers which results in energy savings and lower carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, utilities are better able to optimize loads on the grid, and plan for the future by accommodating renewable generation, electric vehicles and smart appliances.

Tuck offered three observations to assist the federal government leading the adoption of energy efficiency technologies and platforms:

• Real-time information is the key to driving energy savings. Today, there is no consistent policy regarding whether and how consumers can see how much energy they are using in real-time. Only three states guarantee consumers the right to see their energy use so that they can take action to save energy. This information is collected at the wholesale level, but it does not flow down to the consumer in real time. The first step to federal coordination is to establish clear policies that ensure consumers and entrepreneurs have access to the data.
• The biggest barriers to innovation are economic, not technical. Most utilities have little incentive to sell their customers less energy and in most states consumers do not have a choice of energy supplier. Federal legislation can establish greater coordination and give state regulators more abilities to include national energy priorities within their economic analysis models.
• The ultimate driver of change will be the consumer. Like the information and communications revolution, consumers and market demand will drive adoption. Tendril and its partners are offering compelling solutions to consumers as part of utility programs and, where utilities are slow to move, without them. Consumer rebate programs initiated at the federal level could accelerate the deployment of home energy monitors and energy efficiency technologies to consumers who want them now.

Tuck was one of five experts to deliver testimony. He joined The Honorable Aneesh Chopra, chief technology officer of Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President; Dan Hesse, the CEO of Sprint Nextel, Kathrin Winkler, the chief sustainability officer of EMC2 Corporation; and Lorie Wigle the general manager eco-technology program office for Intel. For a complete transcript of Tuck’s testimony, visit http://www.tendrilinc.com/news/blog or http://commerce.senate.gov/

About Tendril:

Tendril is a leading energy management technology provider that brings unprecedented insight and control to the Smart Grid. The Tendril platform provides an open, secure and scalable end-to-end solution that creates a two-way dialogue between energy providers and their customers. The platform includes both utility and in-home products and applications, and integrates seamlessly with existing back office applications and network infrastructure. Tendril is venture backed by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Good Energies, RRE Ventures, Vista Ventures, GE and Appian Ventures.

For Immediate Release:
Media contact:
Sarah Blanchard
Parsons Public Relations
206-789-5668
sarah@parsonspr.com

“It will take both visionary technology innovation by energy leaders as well as broad-based customer acceptance in order for the Smart Grid to begin to be realized,” said Tendril CEO Adrian Tuck. “The additions of Ivo, Scott and Mak provide our team with unparalleled experience in developing creative, innovative ideas that will help utilities and consumers understand the benefits of energy management and the tremendous positive impacts it will have on our society and our environment.”

Steklac has more than 20 years of energy and utility experience, having held various leadership positions in research and development, marketing, and general management. As executive vice president of sales and strategy, Steklac will be responsible for strategic positioning and value-proposition deployment of Tendril products on a global scale. Most recently Steklac was CEO of Greenbox Technology, a company that provides interactive energy management for the smart home, which was acquired by Silver Spring Networks in late 2009. Previously he worked as vice president of marketing for energy and utilities at Schlumberger, and founded Enspiria Solutions Inc., a consultancy and systems integrator with a strong focus in energy management and operational efficiency within Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Demand Response, and Smart Grid.

Ballantyne has more than 22 years experience leading international high-technology branding, marketing and business teams with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations. As vice president of marketing for Tendril, he is responsible for Tendril’s overall brand development and the marketing of the company’s energy management platform to key utility customers and partners. He has executive experience developing and implementing global marketing programs with Hewlett Packard, InFocus, T-Mobile, Asia Global Crossing, Dell and Motorola.

Tarnoff is a 28-year veteran of the utility industry. As senior director of product marketing, he will focus on Tendril’s product strategy and foundation for implementing technology solutions in order to meet customer needs. Tarnoff has held senior management positions providing strategy, marketing and product leadership for companies including GE, Cellnet, L+G, Hunt, Ampy, Aclara (Distribution Control Systems Inc.), Navigant Consulting, New York State Electric and Gas, and Knoxville Utilities Board.

These additions to Tendril’s executive team follow the most recent additions of industry veterans Gilbert Shaw as vice president of global development and Scott Durham as vice president of utility solutions that were announced in the fall of 2009. Tendril has 100 employees at its Boulder, Colo. headquarters and a global customer base with offices in Amsterdam and projects that span North America and into Australia.

About Tendril
Tendril is a leading energy management technology provider that brings unprecedented insight and control to the Smart Grid. The Tendril platform provides an open, secure and scalable end-to-end solution that creates a two-way dialogue between energy providers and their customers. The platform includes both utility and in-home products and applications, and integrates seamlessly with existing back office applications and network infrastructure. Tendril is venture backed by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Good Energies, RRE Ventures, Vista Ventures, GE and Appian Ventures.

Media Contacts:
Sarah Blanchard
Parsons Public Relations
206-789-5668
sarah@parsonspr.com

Patricia Wheatley
Tendril
303-951-4360
pwheatley@tendrilinc.com

1. Real-time information is key to driving energy savings. No consistent policy currently exists regarding whether and how consumers can see how much energy they are using in real time.
2. The biggest barriers to innovation are not technical, but economic. Most utilities have little incentive to sell their customers less energy and in most states consumers do not have a choice of energy supplier.
3. The ultimate driver of change will be the consumer. Like the information and communications revolution, consumers and market demand will drive adoption.

I invite you to view my complete written testimony here.