Energy Quarterback Development and Demonstration Project
NeWorld Energy
Recipient
Corona Del Mar, CA
Recipient Location
36th
Senate District
72nd
Assembly District
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
In 2025, NeWorld completed the following:
Finalized the EQB V2 design and development; successfully integrated with 3 battery inverter systems and EV chargers, obtained UL compliance certification for EQB V2 and obtained California IOU approvals for accelerated review and installations.
Trained California IOU meter technicians and certified C-10 installers on the installation of the EQB V2 with back-up batteries, with or without solar, or with the EQB V2 smart 100 amp panel expander.
Assembled a panel of expert and technical advisory committee (TAC) members from the (3) California IOU’s, senior managers at back-up battery manufacturers, and others in support of securing demonstration sites in single-family and multi-family residences.
Engaged with Advanced Energy Communities (AEC’s) throughout the state for their guidance and support of EQB with back-up batteries in disadvantaged, fire threatened and PSPS impacted communities of single and multi-family residences.
Engaged with utilities, CCA’s and AEC’s to uncover lowest cost access to incentives, rebates and financing available to any rate payer for installation of EQB with back-up batteries for disadvantaged fire threatened residents.
Collaborated with the (3) California IOU’s on the installation of EQB V2 systems with back-up batteries in single-family homes with accelerated utility processing and approvals.
The Issue
The project will address four key challenges to accelerated distributed energy resource (DER) deployment, resilient backup, and grid balancing in California: 1) The lack of low-cost, UL approved grid isolation devices meeting investor-owned utility (IOU) standards; 2) Long battery interconnection delays and high costs, 3) Limited access to battery backup and EV charging for multi-family residents; and 4) High cost and slow pace of building electrification and DER-grid integration.
Project Innovation
NeWorld Energy has developed the Energy Quarterback Universal DER Integration and Vehicle Electrification Platform (EQB U-DERIVE) as an integrated “all in one” resiliency solution that pairs with any utility meter with an installation time of under one hour to provide: 1) automated grid islanding capability; 2) solar and battery self-consumption (from stationary or EV batteries); 3) demand management capability with a built-in Energy Management System (EMS) and smart thermostat, 4) a modular plug-and-play sub-panel 5) revenue grade metering and telemetry (via a built-in modem) to enable integration with Virtual Power Plants (VPP) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) and utility Demand Response (DR) programs and 6) bi-directional EV charging integration capability. Once the EQB has been tested, field deployments will occur in both single and multi-family residential settings in San Diego and Sonora, respectively, and estimates of energy and grid benefits will be informed through the use industry best practices to verify EQB impacts including energy resilience, economic, and health impacts for EQB participants.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
This project demonstrates a new technology platform designed to simplify and reduce the cost of installing distributed energy resources (DERs), including battery storage and electric vehicle charging in single- and multi-family homes. By integrating grid isolation, panel expansion, energy management, and communications capabilities into a single device, the Energy Quarterback platform aims to significantly reduce installation time, equipment costs, and interconnection delays.
If successful, the technology could accelerate the deployment of customer-sited DERs that support grid reliability and resilience, particularly during Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and other outages. Expanding access to backup batteries and flexible energy management systems can enable more households, including residents of multi-family buildings, to participate in demand response programs and virtual power plants. Increased participation in these programs can improve grid flexibility, support renewable energy integration, and deliver long-term benefits to California electricity ratepayers.
Reliability
The EQB will increase grid reliability and resilience by: 1) Reducing the cost and time for installation and interconnection of backup battery and other flex load assets; 2) Increasing the ease, size, and speed of load shift through the EQB’s built-in Energy Management Systems; and 3) Enabling low-cost and comprehensive DER aggregation and control via ADR 2.0b connectivity.
Affordability
The EQB will lower costs for installing backup power by: 1) Providing the combination of grid isolation and electrical panel expansion at a substantial discount to existing products in the marketplace; 2) Accelerating a typical installation to under one hour; and 3) Enabling streamlined interconnection approvals in under two weeks for EQB-integrated battery systems.
Safety
The EQB will enhance safety by: 1) Providing a low-cost grid isolation switch that has been UL certified to reduce operating temperatures in EQB-equipped meters; 2) Ensuring worker and customer safety through automatic back feed preventionwhen the system is operating in islanded mode; and 3) Enabling a much larger number of customers to “ride through” PSPS and grid outage events.
Key Project Members
Paul Donahue
Subrecipients
Tierra Resource Consultants, LLC
Zero Net Energy (ZNE) Alliance
Powertree Services Inc.
Tolteca Corp
Serious Controls LLC
Match Partners
NeWorld Energy
Powertree Services Inc.
