RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Raleigh-based Consert Inc., a leading provider of smart grid load management technologies, announced today that it has signed a commercialization agreement with Wake Electric Membership Corporation.
Under terms of the agreement with Wake Electric, Consert will provide the Consert Energy Management Solution, a network of hardware and software that uses wireless two-way communications to engage the participation of Wake Electric’s members and improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of electricity delivery and use. Through the Consert solution, Wake Electric is able to provide a more efficient and environmentally responsible electrical grid. Wake Electric will offer this solution for voluntary adoption to interested residential and small commercial members.
“Smart grid is the way of the future and fits into Wake Electric's long history of helping its customers manage energy use and become more energy efficient,” said Jim Mangum, CEO of Wake Electric. “The Consert Solution provides us with the unique opportunity to leverage energy conservation as generation and harness it in a way that will meet our capacity needs. Paired with the valuable benefits we can now offer our members, these capabilities make Consert the ideal partner for creating our smarter grid.”
Wake Electric and Consert recently completed a successful eight-month smart grid technology pilot that achieved all intended goals including improvement of demand forecasting and managing peak loads while ensuring their members had the ability to control their comfort level and become more energy efficient. Pilot participants perceived decrease in energy use was 19 percent with an actual average of 6 percent during the pilot versus non-participants, and they responded favorably to the ease-of-use of the Consert solution.
Wake Electric sought to create a more efficient and environmentally responsible electrical grid. The goal was to improve demand forecasting and manage peak loads while ensuring their members were able to control their comfort level and save on energy bills. The need for a real-time Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system, integrated control software, the ability to meet renewable legislation requirements and backhaul led them to implement Consert’s Energy Management Solution and test its effectiveness in a pilot program.
In addition to the operational benefits demonstrated through the Consert Energy Management Solution pilot program, Wake Electric was able to add value to their service offerings for members including:
- empowering them to gain knowledge and take control of their energy consumption in real-time -- 98 percent of members reported that they were more aware of their energy usage
- achieving an average monthly energy savings
- educating them on their energy usage in terms of their carbon footprint
- offering web-based remote access and an easy-to-use, secure portal to manage their personal energy management programs
“Wake Electric is at the forefront of providing its customers with the power to manage their energy consumption,” said Jack Roberts, Consert CEO and president. “By utilizing Consert’s solution, Wake Electric is investing in a platform that supports the future of energy integration and provides a solid future for smart grid technologies.”
Wake Electric Membership Corporation in Wake Forest, N.C. is a rural electric cooperative that provides energy and related services to more than 34,500 residential and commercial members in seven North Carolina counties.
About Consert Inc.
Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Consert Inc. is a leader in the design and implementation of intelligent distributed energy resource management systems. Delivering a complete energy management and conservation ecosystem, Consert demonstrates that intelligent energy management provides the most reliable, flexible and economical source of green energy. Consert’s software-as-a-service system empowers consumers to monitor and reduce their energy consumption helping them to save money and the environment, while granting utilities permission to adjust consumer loads and obtain real-time data. This data collection helps utilities improve reliability, add valuable new services and reduce capacity constraints and operating costs to preserve and enhance cash flow. A demonstration of the application as used by a residential consumer can be viewed at http://bit.ly/ConsertAtHome. For more information, visit Consert.com.
About Wake Electric Membership Corporation
Wake Electric Membership Corporation in Wake Forest, N.C. is a rural electric cooperative that provides energy and related services to more than 34,500 residential and commercial members in 7 North Carolina counties. Wake Electric represents 55,000 Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) units, water heaters and pool pumps, which are high energy consuming devices. For more information visit www.wemc.com.