PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 21, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) unveiled demand response software today that would provide a common way for devices and appliances on the electric grid to respond automatically to changes in price, weather, and demand for power, a process called automated demand response (ADR).
ADR makes it possible to translate changes in wholesale markets to corresponding changes in retail rates. It helps system operators reduce the operating costs of demand response (DR) programs while increasing its resource reliability. For customers, ADR can reduce the cost of electricity by eliminating the resources and effort required to achieve successful results from DR programs.
The EPRI ADR software was certified by the OpenADR Alliance, an organization of stakeholders that fosters the development, adoption, and compliance of the Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR) standard through collaboration, education, training, testing, and certification.
"Release of this software is a critical step in developing open, interoperable standards that will facilitate the emerging integrated grid," said Mark McGranaghan, vice president of Power Delivery and Utilization at EPRI. "Making this software freely available to the industry will accelerate the adoption of standards-based demand response." The EPRI integrated grid concept envisions a robust electricity grid that effectively integrates distributed energy resources – ranging from rooftop solar to demand response.
The software was developed by a collaborative that included American Electric Power, California Independent System Operator, Électricité de France S.A., ESB Networks Ltd. (Ireland), Kansas City Power and Light Company, New York Independent System Operator, The Southern Company, and Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc.
EPRI guided the development of the software to accelerate the adoption of OpenADR, to validate its specifications, and to provide another way to enable the creation of new products and services that use demand response to increase the reliability and reduce the cost of operating the electric grid.
More information about the software is available at:
http://www.epri.com/abstracts/Pages/ProductAbstract.aspx?ProductId=000000000001026755
http://www.epri.com/abstracts/Pages/ProductAbstract.aspx?ProductId=000000000001026751
http://www.epri.com/abstracts/Pages/ProductAbstract.aspx?ProductId=000000000001026753
About EPRI
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent approximately 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to more than 30 countries. EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.