Thermostats Are Emphasis for Newest Peak Load Management Alliance Interest Group

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Sep 15, 2014) - The Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) announces that Brian Doyle and Lee Hamilton of Xcel Energy are co-leading PLMA's new Thermostat Interest Group. To learn more, visit www.peakload.org/group/Thermostat.

The PLMA Thermostat Interest Group seeks to examine the costs and benefits of all types of utility-sponsored programs that leverage thermostat technology to deliver the demand response, energy efficiency, or other system benefits. A group goal is to identify the resources and partners that help articulate a comprehensive value assessment of the Demand Response and Energy Efficiency benefits associated with Smart Thermostats. The group does not focus on a specific technology or solution. 

The Group intends to collect and selectively share among Group members summaries, excerpts, and/or full text from published as well as not-so-public documentation such as utility thermostat pilot/program evaluations, along with reports and white papers authored by manufacturers, consultants and other third-party sources that cover technology evaluations, program design concepts, market assessments, savings potential, and more.

The Group has already conducted an initial meeting with founding PLMA organization representatives. Based on this strong level of interest, the Group will conduct a half-day Workshop on November 3 prior to the 15^th PLMA Fall Conference in Philadelphia. Details are on the Group webpage.

The Group is co-chaired by Brian Doyle, Senior Product Portfolio Manager, Xcel Energy, and Lee Hamilton, Associate Product Developer, Xcel Energy. Brian notes that "Thermostat-related technical enhancements are driving utilities to revisit the device's role in both demand response and energy efficiency program design and implementation. Our Group aims to catalog and share studies and experiences regarding thermostats-related program activities to improve how PLMA member organizations measure the energy and cost impacts."

This newest Interest Group follows PLMA successful launches of Interest Groups for Grid-Interactive Water Heating and Women in Demand Response. "PLMA Board members are championing new ways to network and share program challenges and best practices," says PLMA Chair Paul Tyno. "The Interest Group structure gives PLMA members t new reasons to participate in-person for our twice-annual Conferences as well as in web-related activities that are scheduled at other times." 

PLMA Interest Group membership is restricted to representatives from PLMA member organizations, but any organization is welcome to join PLMA. To learn more about the Interest Group, visit www.peakload.org/group/Thermostat. PLMA membership and conference registration details are available at www.peakload.org.