Increasing Access to Smart and Affordable Energy for Customers and Resource Adequacy for the California Grid
Testing whether 7,000 residential electricity load shifting devices can provide competitive grid services
Packetized Energy
Recipient
Burlington, VT
Recipient Location
$136,707
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2025, the EnergyHub project team navigated partner-related challenges associated with direct-to-market activities to capture new enrollments though agreements and integration with device partners. This prompted a temporary pause on product development and led the team to develop a risk mitigation strategy that centers on (1) enrollments through the Leap Power Savers Program, and (2) launching a new partnership with Ecobee to deliver greater grid services capacity via DSGS Option 4. Following the pause, the team onboarded new staff and executed budget and schedule amendments. Additional efforts focused on improving enrollment and dispatch processes, advancing program design and deployment reporting, and addressing invoicing documentation requirements with the CEC. The project also made progress on technology transfer planning, stakeholder engagement through its second Technical Advisory Committee Meeting, and LMI outreach strategizing, positioning the project for accelerated impact in the coming year.
In 2024, the acquisition of Packetized Energy by EnergyHub was completed, and the project was transferred over to EnergyHub and restarted. The project will carry on the original goal of including up to 7,000 new and existing connected devices to demonstrate EnergyHub's advanced load flexibility management platform and provide up to 4 MW of flexible capacity. The project will also include the enrollment of up to 2,000 connected devices in low-income households at no up-front cost to customers. After the project was restarted, the EnergyHub team began identifying strategies and recruiting partners to begin enrolling new customers and connected devices into the program. This will be an ongoing activity until the enrollment targets are achieved.
The Issue
Over the past decade, California ratepayers have experienced a growing threat from power outages and rolling blackouts stemming from wildfires and extreme heat events, leading to a state-wide call for increasing the resilience and reliability of our electric grid. Reliability challenges can be aggravated by overworked and overloaded grid infrastructure, massive spikes in demand that overwhelm the system, and a lack of flexibility and load shifting. Advanced demand response technology to provide grid flexibility is just beginning to enter the market. With the recent advent of FERC 2222, new policies will enable greater interaction between aggregators and the market.
Project Innovation
The project’s purpose is to demonstrate advanced grid services provided to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and provide cost savings for electric utility customers through time-of-use load shifting and direct incentives. Using EnergyHub’s advanced load flexibility management platform, the demonstration will include at least 4 MW of flexible capacity aggregated from up to 7,000 new and existing smart energy devices such as EVSE and smart thermostats. The recipient is exploring a partnership with a marketing firm with LMI expertise to ensure as many devices as possible are installed in and benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
The project will deliver lower electricity costs for customers through time-of-use load shifting, enhance grid reliability by providing up to 4 MW of aggregated residential flexible load to CAISO, and achieve key milestones, including finalizing program design, conducting community outreach, and enrolling sufficient customers to deliver at least 4 MW of flexible capacity.
Affordability
The project will support affordability for electric utility customers through time-of-use load shifting.
Reliability
With up to 4 MW of aggregated residential flexible load shifting, the project will demonstrate advanced grid services provided to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO).
Key Project Members
Chuck Winn
Bonnie Pratt
Jessie Guest
Sophia Racke
