TORONTO, June 11, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ontario Energy Minister Chris Bentley today announced that Ottawa-based Energate, Inc., a leading provider of residential demand response (RDR) and home energy management solutions for utilities and their customers, has been awarded an investment of C$2.9 million from Ontario's Smart Grid Fund (SGF). The investment, with an in-kind match from Energate that totals C$5.8 million, is for a "Consumer Engagement for the Smart Grid" demonstration project of smart energy innovations for up to 1000 homes across Ontario during the next 18 months. Energate will partner with Local Distribution Companies (LDCs) throughout the province to implement the program that is expected to commercialize Energate products and technology for broad consumer use in the Smart Grid. See related announcement, Energate Broadband-Enabled Demand Response Platform Approved and Deploying for Ontario Utilities and Consumers, for additional information about Ontario Power Authority's (OPA) peaksaver PLUS residential demand response program.
"Smart grid technologies are the digital way of the future. It's like taking our energy infrastructure from rotary phone technology to that of a smart phone. Projects like Energate's will also help develop the talents and skills Ontarians need for the jobs of tomorrow," said Ontario Energy Minister Chris Bentley. "When cutting-edge technologies and expertise are cultivated in the province, everybody wins."
The project will provide and evaluate state-of-the-art solutions that allow consumers to manage and control their home energy use with smart thermostats, mobile smartphone applications, energy "dashboards" and Web portals. Specifically, the project will build upon Energate's Consumer-Connected Demand Response (CCDR™) platform: a platform that has been approved for the Ontario peaksaver PLUS program and is currently being deployed in some regions of the province.
Aside from the proven benefits of grid reliability and generation asset utilization, utilities can avoid building new power plants by motivating consumers to conveniently shift electricity demand without disrupting their lifestyle. Managing energy use is especially valuable when renewable energy sources are adopted and commercialized and when new electric loads such as electric vehicles, are added. Energate has over 20 utility customers in the United States and has proven interoperability with over 10 Smart Grid technology partners.
Participants using Energate's technology in Pilots were able to reduce their coincident peak demand by 50 percent and in some cases reduce their overall monthly bill by up to 30 percent. The technology to be deployed in the SGF demonstration project will allow LDCs to experiment with new approaches to make their distribution grid more efficient. With the commercialization of new consumer engagement tools, it is expected that more homeowners will embrace the technology that provides benefits to the power grid and the consumer, while reducing greenhouse gases. The instantaneous feedback available from Energate's CCDR solution will allow real time evaluation of the impact of these strategies.
"Energate is pleased that the Ministry has recognized the importance of providing Ontarians with advanced technology to control their home energy use," said Niraj Bhargava, Energate's Chief Executive Officer. "The benefits of Ontario's smart grid can truly be realized by providing consumers and utilities with the tools they need to easily and effectively manage home energy use."
Six LDCs have committed to participating in the demonstration project including: Cambridge & North Dumfries Hydro, Hydro One, Hydro Ottawa, Peterborough Utilities, PowerStream, and Veridian Connections. Energate expects additional LDCs will also choose to participate during the 18-month project.
"This project will stimulate consumer engagement in home energy management by extending Ontario's smart grid directly into the home," said Veridian's President and CEO Michael Angemeer. "We are pleased to be working with Energate based on the company's proven track record of empowering consumers to control their energy consumption with a choice of user-friendly devices and applications."
About Energate
Energate (www.energateinc.com) is a leading provider of demand response and home energy management solutions including software, wireless communications, gateways, smart thermostats, switches and consumer energy displays. The Consumer Connected Demand Response (CCDR™) solution allows utilities to immediately address residential energy demand and empowers consumers to more effectively manage their energy use. Energate products seamlessly connect to the Smart Grid to deal with supply and demand challenges, the increased use of renewables and dynamic rate structures. Founded in 2004, Energate is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario with offices in California, Illinois, Texas and Toronto.
About Veridian Connections Inc.
Veridian Connections Inc. safely and reliably delivers electricity to more than 115,000 customers in the cities of Pickering and Belleville, the towns of Ajax, Port Hope and Gravenhurst, and the communities of Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Orono, Port Perry, Beaverton, Sunderland and Cannington. Veridian Connections is a wholly owned subsidiary of Veridian Corporation. The City of Pickering, the Town of Ajax, the Municipality of Clarington and the City of Belleville jointly own Veridian Corporation.