• Leading Connecticut utilities Eversource and United Illuminating launch Connecticut’s first Distributed Energy Resource (DER) market, hosted on Piclo
• New revenue opportunities are available to participants, such as electric vehicle charge point operators, battery developers, and aggregators of residential or commercial load
• The utilities are looking to procure ~35 MW of flexible energy across the state for winter 2024/2025
• This is the state’s, and New England’s, first local grid flexibility market

Posted August 1, 2024

Connecticut, USA, July 9th 2024 – Eversource and United Illuminating have launched their first online  grid flexibility marketplace in Connecticut. For the 2024/2025 winter season, they are seeking to procure approximately 35 MW of energy flexibility and compensate participants who support the grid and improve reliability.

Through the Piclo platform, Eversource and United Illuminating will offer Distributed Energy Resource (DER) owners, operators, and aggregators the opportunity to win contracts that can provide them with revenue for flexing electricity load and generation.

In its first season, the aim of the joint initiative is to demonstrate the ability of DERs to strengthen the reliability and resilience of the electric system in Connecticut, enhance grid capacity in preparation for increased electrification, and lower energy costs for customers.

DER aggregators, owners, and providers will be able to register on the Piclo platform starting on July 9th, 2024. The deadline to participate is Friday, September 27th, with bidding open from  October 7th to November 1st, 2024. Interested participants are invited to attend an introductory webinar on July 17th, 2024, to learn more about this new offering and check their eligibility.

Register here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H09Rx8g0 

The launch follows last month’s (May 2024) White House summit and launch of the Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment Initiative.

CLICK HERE to read the full press release.

Posted July 29, 2024

Who You'll Be Joining:   

We are looking for an Senior Energy Markets Manager who believes that diving deeply into energy market participation models for residential distributed energy resources, in partnership with our Energy team, is the next big thing. You will work with a passionate group of Energy professionals and ecosystem partners that serve a broad range of energy clients in North America.

The Energy Markets Manager will report to the Director of Energy & Emerging Markets and work side by side with the ecobee Energy Team to lead engagement in key markets to advance residential distributed energy resource participation.

This role is open to applicants from Canada and the United States.

How You'll Make an Impact

• Evaluate wholesale energy markets in the US and Canada, identifying participating criteria for residential DERs, and develop and implement go-to-market strategies to deliver portfolio optimization
• Manage and develop partnerships to execute on ecobee’s go-to-market strategies in the wholesale energy markets
• Design, develop and operationalize energy market programs in collaboration with external partners and internal cross-functional teams, and evaluate end of season performance to identify and implement levers for improvement
• Work cross functionally with key teams to identify and remedy market-based and product-based barriers to participation
• Serve as the ecobee subject matter expert on wholesale energy market programs, providing deep understanding of market rules and participation requirements and communicating those to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders

CLICK HERE to read the full job ad and to apply.

Small energy conservation efforts added up to big results

Posted July 19, 2024

Portland General Electric (PGE) customers worked together this week to reduce energy use during Portland’s first heat wave of the summer. Coupled with PGE’s ongoing system upgrades and preparedness efforts, customers’ collective energy conservation actions supported reliable power delivery and grid stability during a time of extremely high power demand.

Customer actions this week reduced electricity demand by nearly 109 megawatts (MW) during peak demand hours on Monday, July 8, and 100 MW on Tuesday, July 9; that is enough electricity to power over 90,000 homes for a four-hour period. Participation in PGE’s energy shifting programs, avoiding running large appliances during evening hours, and energy conservation efforts like adjusting the air conditioner by a few degrees or making energy-saving upgrades to their homes all added up to the significant energy-demand reduction.

PGE has several voluntary energy shifting program options for customers and the company typically employs one or two at a time, as needed throughout the year. On Monday and Tuesday, PGE activated its entire portfolio of energy shifting programs, which approximately 200,000 customers participate in, to help alleviate strain on the grid due to record-breaking hot weather. This is only the second time in company history that PGE has called upon all the programs for multiple, consecutive days; the first time was during last August’s heat wave.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

Posted July 16, 2024

What is the role?

Michaels Energy is seeking an experienced Utility Business Development (BD) Manager located in the Northeastern U.S. to drive revenue growth for the company. This role is responsible for cultivating relationships, gathering intel, and generating new business with utilities and partners in the energy efficiency industry. The Utility BD Manager will develop and execute a 3 to 5-year business development plan for each target market. The successful candidate will thrive in a relationship and brand-building environment and exemplify Michaels’ values.

Business Development

• Develop and maintain business development plans for each target market
• Build strong relationships with decision-makers who buy DSM services (utilities and government entities) and connect their unique needs to our services
• Attend and represent Michaels Energy at industry conferences and events
• Network with stakeholders, policymakers, and influencers in the industry
• Actively engage in industry associations, committees, stakeholder meetings, and regulatory proceedings within targeted states
• Keep abreast of market changes to identify new opportunities
• Conduct capability presentations with potential clients and partners
• Provide thought leadership through webinars, blogs, and/or speaking opportunities

BD Support and Reporting

• Meet regularly with internal teams to share prospect, partner, and market intel
• Represent the client’s voice in the proposal process by providing intel and content to help craft a compelling, winning story
• Assist the proposal team in identifying strategic partners, as needed
• Ensure the proposal team receives all RFPs from targeted utility and government entities
• Record sales activities and intel through HubSpot
• Provide monthly reporting on KPIs

CLICK HERE to read the full job ad and to apply.