(Hauppauge, N.Y. - April 19)--Carrier is providing ComfortChoice, an energy demand solution, to the Long Island Power Authority's (LIPA) residential and small business customers. The solution is part of "LIPAEdge," a new energy conservation program designed to help residential and small business customers get the most out of their energy dollars while helping Long Island¿s electric system operate as efficiently as possible. The announcement was made at a press conference at the home of Jodi Marks, one of the first residential customers on Long Island to use the program.
ComfortChoice addresses power reliability and energy cost issues, particularly during periods of peak demand. By reducing energy usage during these periods, or during capacity shortfalls similar to California¿s current situation, utilities can increase system reliability, reduce energy price spikes and maintain adequate energy supplies.
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"Carrier's demand management solution was selected for the LIPAEdge program because we have demonstrated our ability to reduce energy consumption and because we offer a flexible platform that is sensitive to the homeowner," said Ken Fox, vice president and general manager, Carrier Electronics. "The LIPAEdge program uses Carrier¿s Internet connected thermostats and patented technologies to establish a critical link between utilities and homeowners for energy management. By reducing demand during peak hours, LIPA can ensure that a more reliable power supply mitigates the need for increased production capacity, which reduces investment, preserves natural resources and lowers harmful air emissions."
The LIPAEdge program includes the installation of a new, high technology Carrier Energy Management Interface (EMi), an Internet-communicating, seven-day programmable thermostat, in homes and small businesses with central air conditioners or heat pumps. Programmable thermostats have been proven to reduce energy consumption by up to 20 percent. Through Carrier's innovative and easy-to-use Web-based programming feature, homeowners can easily and quickly program their thermostats to take advantage of the energy saving benefits. For homeowners without Web access, LIPAEdge operators can remotely program the thermostat and download the settings to the individual's home. Central air conditioning customers who elect to participate in the program will receive, free of charge, a fully programmable Carrier EMi thermostat, plus a $25 bonus from LIPA. Twelve Carrier Five-Star dealers will provide in-home service for LIPAEdge customers.
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"LIPAEdge is a win-win for our customers who will have the ability to conserve electricity and save money throughout the summer," said LIPA Chairman and CEO Richard M. Kessel. "At the same time, LIPA will have the ability to remotely tap customer-based power reserves to help us manage the use of our island-wide electricity resources during a heat wave."
How It Works
The ComfortChoice solution offers Internet functionality and two-way wireless messaging technology, provided by Skytel. The wireless technology is easy to install and doesn't interfere with existing communications equipment in the home, such as telephone lines and wireless networks.
Using a Web-browser interface developed by Silicon Energy, a LIPA operator initiates a thermostat setback, specifying how many degrees and for what duration. At any time, the homeowner can choose to override the set-back directly through the thermostat, and a message will be transmitted via the Internet back to the utility. The customer also can remotely access the thermostat over the Internet from a standard Web browser to obtain status, adjust set points, program the thermostat and perform overrides.
"Shaving The Edge"
LIPAEdge maximizes the operation of the electric distribution system by "shaving the Edge" off the extra electric use present in each customer's central air conditioning system.
LIPA will have the ability to remotely control the volunteers' central air conditioning systems on seven occasions between June 1 and September 30 of each year, for approximately14 hours out of a total of 2,900 hours. After the brief control period, the thermostat is remotely returned to its original settings. The customer retains control of their system 99.5 percent of the time.
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By briefly tapping into these customer-based power reserves this summer for 30 minutes per hour between the hours of 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on critical energy use days, LIPA could conserve about five megawatts (MW) of electricity from 5,000 participating customers. That¿s enough electricity to run about 5,000 average-sized Long Island homes. The Long Island Power Authority owns the retail electric system on Long Island. LIPA provides electric service to nearly 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens.
Carrier's publicity efforts today included participation in the press conference, widespread distribution of a press release and a video news release. "With all the attention given to energy shortfalls in the U.S., combined with last week¿s interest in the MyAppliance.com launch in Europe, we're expecting this ComfortChoice announcement to keep Carrier at the forefront of energy and home technology news," said Jon Shaw, senior manager of communications.
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