Improving efficiency and saving money through demand response
Demand response is about reducing electricity consumption during the times of day when it is most in demand. Demand response programs in California directly offset a utility’s need to generate electricity with inefficient and “dirty” peaker plants. By enrolling your facility into a demand response program from a California based utility, you are directly offsetting the highest portion of greenhouse gasses produced during electricity generation.
A company that has worked with a number of congregations to lower their bills through demand response is THG Energy Services. THG’s Energy Intelligence Suite can cross-reference your power savings with EPA carbon dioxide emissions per generating zip code for you to quantify exactly how much greenhouse gases you prevented from entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
THG can typically make a program work if the customer is able to curtail demand (kW) in the 50 kilowatt ballpark. That means your energy bill is likely $5,000-8000 a month or more. With the Technical Incentive funds available California, THG can even dip down lower than 50 kW and still make the program work. It is very easy for THG to analyze your utility bills at no charge to determine whether or not you are able to enroll in a demand response program and benefit from the cost and greenhouse gas savings.
IPL is happy to partner with THG to make these savings more accessible to member congregations, and by signing up through California IPL, we will get a donation from revenues THG generates to cover their costs. The majority of THG’s business comes from energy intermediaries, retail electric providers, suppliers, local governments, Energy Service Companies, sustainability organizations, and consultants. THG will provide all onboarding, 24-months of historical data for each account, portal training, and ongoing support for all IPL participating members. For more information, contact Jim Westover at [email protected].