Integrated demand offerings could be the next generation of energy management.
Thomas Brunetto is managing partner of Distributed Energy Financial Group LLC. Email him at tbrunetto@defgllc.com.
Over the last five years, demand-side offerings have seen significant growth and technological advancement. Critical to this advancement is the industry’s commitment to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and the smart grid. AMI and smart grid have the potential to facilitate efficient pricing, better information and visibility into consumers’ consumption patterns, and opportunities for improved energy efficiency and cost savings.
Customer attitudes and regulatory policy also have shifted toward supporting a national response to climate change. The result is a focus on energy efficiency, reducing customer energy consumption and reducing carbon production. Achieving reduced end-use consumption will require innovation and new products and services.
Experience with customer expectations regarding energy and utility customer service suggests that what began as separate energy efficiency (EE), demand response (DR) and distributed energy (DE) program offerings are now poised for integration. These integrated demand offerings (IDO) will need to be personalized, robust, easy and valuable. IDOs open new opportunities for service providers, will stimulate the development of new products and services, and will enhance the customer experience with one-stop products.