The energy industry is reporting an increased demand for green technologies, particularly improved efficiencies that conserve power for utility customers.

 

Wake Forest, N.C.-based PowerSecure International’s smart grid-enabled interactive distributed generation systems saw a deployment increase of 21 percent in the first six months of 2009 compared to the same period last year. Company officials said they deployed 3,995 times to generate load management efficiencies on behalf of utilities and their customers during the first half of 2009.

 

The company’s smart grid systems provide improved efficiencies in several ways, PowerSecure officials said, including: reducing the cost of electricity during peak power periods; protecting against power losses and avoiding costly interruptions and spoilage; minimizing energy transmission losses; and improving the efficiency of the electricity grid.

 

Chris Hutter, PowerSecure’s chief financial offer, attributes the increased level of productivity due to their ability to accurately predict peak electricity demand and provide standby power as needed.

 

“The cost of electricity is extremely high during peak power times, and our systems are highly effective at making electricity more efficient – we proactively forecast when peak demand is going to occur, and deploy our systems at optimal times to deliver efficiencies to utilities and their customers,” Hutter said. “Additionally, our systems serve the dual purpose of providing standby power in case of power loss around the clock.”

 

The company’s monitoring center can forecast high-cost peak electricity demand, and deploys more efficient IDG power at optimal times for optimal durations, providing bottom-line benefits by reducing electricity costs, Hutter added.

 

“It demonstrates that there is a growing demand for smart technologies that make energy more efficient – and the strong bottom line results our IDG systems are delivering on behalf of utilities and their customers,” he said. “Our technology is proving its value everyday in the marketplace.”

 

This week, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the delivery of more than $47 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for eight projects to further smart grid demonstration projects in seven states. 

 

As TMCnet’s Brendan Read reported, smart grids could hold a key to improving electrical system efficiency and environmental footprint while making the systems more reliable, with fewer outages.

 

In addition more efficient energies, the environment benefits from reduced carbon emissions because PowerSecure’s IDG can be dispatched more efficiently than traditional spinning reserve power sources to meet peak power demands, company officials said.

 

“We couldn’t be more pleased that our systems have such high productivity. In partnership with utilities, our IDG systems are being adopted by a wide range of customers because they deliver value on multiple levels,” said Sidney Hinton, CEO of PowerSecure. “The fact that our systems are so heavily utilized is a direct reflection of their terrific performance. Our capabilities directly address the need for power solutions that make the grid smarter and more efficient – with highly effective technology that proves its value every day.”