Energy
Business Wire | October 25, 2023
SEW, a global leader in AI-Powered Connected Customer (CX) and Workforce (WX) Experience Industry Cloud Platforms, announces its acquisition of GridExchange, a cutting-edge Transactive Energy software platform, from Alectra Utilities Corporation.
GridExchange empowers energy consumers to transition from passive users to proactive prosumers, leveraging distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar panels, battery storage, and EV (Electric Vehicles). Through a secure and user-friendly Customer Experience (CX), GridExchange facilitates seamless exchanges of energy, driving a reduction in greenhouse gas CO2 emissions, lowering energy costs, and strengthening grid resiliency.
stated Deepak Garg, CEO and Founder of SEW.
At SEW, we are shaping a clean and sustainable energy future. The acquisition of GridExchange aligns perfectly with our vision and strategy of an intelligent, resilient, and sustainable energy ecosystem. Our journey towards a sustainable future begins with empowering and educating individuals and businesses alike to actively participate in the energy revolution," emphasized Deepak Garg. "By integrating GridExchange into our SEW connected platform, we are not only driving cleaner energy transition and adoption but also revolutionizing the way people and communities engage with their energy consumption.
[Source:Business Wire]
GridExchange’s web and mobile application allows utilities to engage customers with DERs, optimizing grid operations by managing peak load and maximizing GHG reduction. Customers, in turn, have the flexibility to contribute excess energy or adjust consumption patterns in exchange for financial incentives and loyalty rewards redeemable at local businesses.
Brian Bentz, President and CEO of Alectra, emphasized, "Our development of GridExchange, which helped to enable non-wires alternative pilots in our service territory, illustrates our commitment to enabling customers to participate in local energy markets. We are pleased that SEW will now be taking this platform to a global market.”
Key benefits of the SEW-GridExchange platform include
Empowering Energy Choices: Customers can harness the potential of existing DERs, transforming into proactive contributors to the energy ecosystem.
Reducing GHG Emissions: The incentivization of clean energy usage through GridExchange leads to a notable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Enhancing Grid Planning: The platform unlocks and optimizes DER values, increasing grid flexibility and resiliency; and contributes to integrated system planning with non-wires alternatives, reducing or deferring overall energy system costs.
Advocating for Policy Change: The initiative motivates regulators to propose standards and policies that pave the way for a cleaner energy future. GridExchange’s innovative application also demonstrates the following objectives
Leveraging cutting-edge transactive energy technology to facilitate DER participation in grid services and accurately track energy generation and consumption's GHG impact.
Incentivizing customers who own or operate DERsl by providing valuable grid services.
Introducing a pioneering customer rewards program, where points earned are redeemable for a range of goods and services from participating merchants.
SEW is committed to building a resilient and sustainable energy ecosystem through the integration of advanced technologies like AI, ML, and IoT. With over 1.2 billion users and adoption by 410+ utilities worldwide, SEW is at the forefront of driving the transition towards an intelligent energy future.
This landmark acquisition not only signifies a major stride towards sustainable energy, but also underscores SEW's commitment to pioneer a greener future through advanced technology. SEW's mission is to engage, empower, and educate billions of people worldwide to conserve energy and water. Now, with the addition of GridExchange, SEW is poised to take sustainability to new heights.
About Alectra Inc.
Alectra Inc., through its subsidiary Alectra Utilities Corporation, serves approximately one million homes and businesses across an 1,800 square kilometers service territory comprising 17 communities including Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Beeton, Brampton, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Guelph, Hamilton, Markham, Mississauga, Penetanguishene, Richmond Hill, Rockwood, St. Catharine’s, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. The Alectra family of companies includes Alectra Inc. (Mississauga), Alectra Utilities Corporation (Hamilton) and Alectra Energy Solutions (Vaughan).
About SEW
SEW, with its innovative and industry-leading connected cloud platforms, delivers the best Digital Customer Experiences (CX) and Workforce Experiences (WX), powered by AI, ML, and IoT Analytics to the global energy, water, and gas providers. At SEW, the vision is to Engage, Empower, and Educate billions of people to save energy and water. We partner with businesses to deliver platforms that are easy-to-use, integrate seamlessly, and help build a strong technological foundation that allows them to become future ready.
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Solar+Storage
ComEd | October 13, 2023
ComEd and SunVest Solar completed four new community solar projects in northern Illinois.
Community solar allows ComEd customers to access clean energy without installing solar panels.
Illinois' Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) aims to increase renewable energy support.
ComEd and SunVest Solar have recently announced the successful completion of four new community solar projects located in northern Illinois, with two projects in Dekalb and another two in Freeport. This development marks a significant milestone as it brings the total number of community solar projects within the ComEd service territory to 88. This initiative empowers ComEd customers to enjoy reduced electricity costs and contributes to the broader objectives of expanding renewable energy and advancing Illinois' clean energy goals.
The two community solar farms established by SunVest in Dekalb span an impressive 24 acres along Gurler Road and are adorned with more than 9,400 solar panels. Similarly, the two innovative solar farms located in Freeport extend to 23 acres on South Cranes Grove Road, housing more than 11,650 solar panels. Together, these four solar installations possess a combined generation capacity of 12 megawatts (MW) of clean energy, which equates to providing electricity for nearly 1,700 typical Illinois households.
Community solar offers a unique opportunity for all ComEd customers to reap the benefits of clean solar energy, all without the need to invest in solar panels for their own. Participants subscribe to a solar energy farm owned by an independent developer and, in return, receive credits on their monthly ComEd bills corresponding to the energy generated by their share of the project. This generated energy flows into ComEd's grid, contributing to the overall energy supply. Typically, customers subscribe to an amount of electricity that offsets their annual consumption. In most cases, ComEd customers can subscribe to a community solar project within the ComEd region, provided it is not already fully subscribed.
Additionally, ComEd has recently launched a user-friendly community solar calculator. This tool assists customers in determining the most suitable subscription size, providing estimates of costs and potential savings.
The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) of Illinois, enacted in 2021, increases support for renewable energy to achieve 40 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040. It creates approximately 9,800 megawatts of new solar capacity and a substantial increase in funding for the Illinois Solar for All program. This program, which extends access to solar power for lower-income customers, has seen its annual funding rise from $30 million to $70 million.
ComEd presented multi-year grid and rate plans to the Illinois Commerce Commission earlier this year in line with this legislation. These plans are instrumental in accelerating the expansion of renewable energy and ensuring that all communities have equitable access to the benefits of clean energy as per the stipulations of CEJA. These plans are aligned with ComEd 2030, the company's recently announced vision for a carbon-free energy future. This vision promises to cater to the evolving needs of customers and deliver benefits to all communities for the remainder of this decade and beyond.
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Energy
PR Newswire | October 20, 2023
FirstEnergy Corp. issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to purchase Ohio-compliant Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for its Ohio subsidiaries – Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison. The purchases will help meet the companies' 2023 renewable energy targets established under Ohio's alternative energy law.
RECs sought in this RFP must be
Eligible for compliance with the companies' 2023 renewable energy obligations.
Sourced from generating facilities certified in accordance with rules and procedures put forth by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
Deliverable through PJM Environmental Information System Generation Attribute Tracking System (EIS GATS) and generated between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2023.
The companies plan to purchase 570,000 RECs, which can include solar renewable energy credits. One REC represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of generation from a PUCO-qualified renewable generating facility. The cost of the RECs is recovered from the utility's standard service offer customers through a monthly charge filed quarterly with the PUCO.
No energy or capacity will be purchased under the RFP. The number of individual bidders is not limited. Participants in the RFP must meet and maintain specific credit and security qualifications and must be able to prove their REC generating facilities are certified or in the process of becoming certified by the PUCO.
The RFP is a competitive process managed by CRA International, Inc., a worldwide leader in providing services. Based on the RFP results, the Ohio utilities will enter into agreement(s) with winning suppliers to purchase the necessary quantities of RECs.
FirstEnergy's Ohio utilities have a website, www.firstenergy-recrfp.com, to provide bidders with a central source of documents, data and other information for the RFP process.
On Oct. 24, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. EPT, the FirstEnergy Ohio utilities and their consultant, CRA International, will conduct a webinar to outline the RFP process and the terms of the agreement, as well as to provide a forum to submit any questions. Questions also may be submitted during the RFP process directly through the RFP website.
To participate in the RFP, potential bidders are encouraged to submit credit applications by Nov. 17, 2023, and proposals are due Nov. 28, 2023, by 5 p.m. EPT.
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