Why we attend the Peak Load Management Alliance Conference
Our Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) team is heading to Portland, OR, from May 5-8 for the Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) conference. Held twice a year, this influential event brings together industry leaders to discuss the latest innovations, technologies and issues shaping the future of DR. At the 49th PLMA conference, we will be joining top-level implementers, experts in distributed energy resource management systems, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and utilities to share ideas and collaborate. Our team is looking forward to discussing the latest industry advancements that are driving this area of energy management.
Here’s why we’re excited to attend this year’s PLMA conference.
A focus on the increased accessibility of smart devices
Electric baseboards remain popular in low income or marginalized communities across the US and Canada due to their low cost and ease of use as both a primary and backup heat source. However, as it is more costly to run, the cost burden for this heating is passed to residents who are faced with higher heating bills.
Utilities and OEMs are now working toward potential solutions for such energy-burdened customers. DR programs can play a significant role here by both introducing energy-saving smart baseboard thermostats to customers and then providing ratepayers with an incentive for using those thermostats for DR. The importance of these programs is increasingly clear, promoting environmental justice by providing communities with the means to reduce energy use, and supporting grid resilience as more people can participate in DR programs.
CLEAResult’s Director of Distributed Energy Resources, Mark Foreman emphasizes the importance of providing more households with this technology as “smart line-voltage thermostats can enable residents to manage the comfort of their homes, save money and help reduce demand on the grid.”
Smart controls also extend to water heaters, with internet-connected devices delivering benefits to both utilities and customers. Utilities can expand on DR program enrollment while residents gain the convenience of remote monitoring and control, as well as other benefits including leak and fault detection.
These initiatives will pave the way for bringing DR programs to more capacity in homes of all types including multifamily and income-qualified properties.
Growth in electric vehicles, batteries and managed charging
For several years, utilities, OEMs and implementers have recognized the importance of collaboration in managing the influx of electric vehicles (EVs) and the corresponding demands for energy. Home battery systems are growing in popularity as more OEMs use effective marketing strategies to drive adoption and utilities are working with OEMs to promote the integration of their batteries into DR programs. As the understanding of battery technology grows, customers are more inclined to enroll in their utility's DR programs, particularly when utilities offer subsidies for the batteries.
As we discussed in our vehicle-grid integration webinar, EV adoption growth remains steady with no signs of abating. The U.S. federal government's support for an electric transportation transition, through legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will continue to have an impact on how utilities shape their operations moving forward. Utilities have been working diligently to enact and expand their managed charging programs and influence consumer charging behaviors while rewarding participation in these programs.
PLMA Executive Director & CEO Rich Philip shared with us his thoughts on the upcoming conference:
“PLMA is truly a community of flexible load management professionals; one that embraces a culture of collaboration. Whether we’re sharing lessons learned, solutions to a tough problem, or explaining a new idea, DR and distributed energy resources (DER) stakeholders from across the industry can expect a PLMA conference to deliver a valuable and collegial experience.”
We’re looking forward to attending PLMA’s sessions and engaging in follow-up conversations with utilities to learn more about the successes of their programs and discuss areas for optimization.
The feedback we receive from this demand response industry helps us deliver more fine-tuned solutions for utilities nationwide. Please let us know if you’re planning to attend PLMA and we’ll see you there!
