Carrier's ComfortChoice Selected For CL&P "Smart Thermostat" Pilot Program
(FARMINGTON, Conn. Jan. 28) -- Carrier Corporation today announced the launch of its second ComfortChoice demand-side management pilot program with Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P). CL&P, part of the Northeast Utilities system, is Connecticut's largest electric utility, supplying electricity to 1.1 million customers.
As part of this pilot program, scheduled to begin later this month, CL&P will install Carrier ComfortChoice Energy Management Systems (EMi's) in 50 Connecticut households equipped with electric heat pumps. Carrier and CL&P ran a similar program for central air conditioning customers in 2000. The heat pump pilot program, expected to run through the end of 2002, is designed to provide CL&P the ability to setback the temperature in participating homes and measure the effect of the setback on electricity.
In exchange for program participation, customers will receive a free 7-day programmable thermostat with professional installation, an incentive payment, and the ability to adjust and program their thermostat over the Internet. ComfortChoice installations will be concentrated in towns and geographic areas such as Stamford, Norwalk, New Canaan, Wilton, Westport, Darien, Greenwich and Weston, where electricity transmission constraints exist.
"The ComfortChoice solution supports CL&P's mission to supply our customers and the communities we serve with safe and reliable electricity while promoting energy conservation and good environmental stewardship," said John Mutchler, manager, CL&P. "ComfortChoice makes it easy for us to manage peak demand, while our customers maintain control over their comfort. It is part of CL&P's 'Smart Thermostat' program, through which the company can use Internet access to adjust the temperature on a customer's thermostat during power emergencies."
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ComfortChoice, jointly marketed by Carrier and Silicon Energy, is the first Internet-based demand side management solution that uses two-way wireless communication and features the installation of a Carrier seven-day Internet-communicating programmable thermostat. Using energy management software developed by Silicon Energy, an energy provider (such as CL&P) accesses a program to 'curtail' demand either through temperature offsets or by cycling the HVAC system on and off. For example, an energy provider might increase thermostat settings anywhere from two to six degrees in participating homes and businesses in order to reduce electricity demand during a power watch or emergency.
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By raising the temperature settings during these periods, the connected HVAC equipment runs less frequently, thereby saving energy during peak load periods and reducing energy costs for the end user. ComfortChoice two-way wireless technology enables energy providers to send curtailment messages, verify system operation, message receipt, curtailment participation or overrides and load reduction.
The customer can override the energy curtailment either by adjusting their thermostat locally, or by using an innovative Internet interface developed by Carrier, accessible via any standard web browser. In addition to overriding curtailments, customers can use the web interface to obtain HVAC equipment status or change system settings such as temperature, on/off status and heat/cool mode.
"By using Carrier's ComfortChoice energy demand management solution, CL&P is demonstrating its progressive and proactive efforts to reduce electricity demand during peak periods, ensuring a more reliable power supply and mitigating the need for increased production capacity," said Ken Fox, vice president and general manager of Carrier Electronics. "This in turn preserves natural resources and lowers harmful air emissions."
Large-scale ComfortChoice deployments are currently underway with major energy providers such as San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). In 2001, a number of other energy providers implemented successful pilot programs using the ComfortChoice solution, including Con Edison of New York and The NewPower Company in Pennsylvania.
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