Demand Side Management with AdaptiVolt™

What is Demand Side Management (DSM)?
Demand Side Management encompasses those actions taken on the customer side of the meter to reduce energy consumption.

What is the purpose of DSM?
Demand Side Management has three complimentary goals:

• Reduce overall energy consumption thereby delaying the need for new generation, transmission and distribution facilities and to avoid additional power purchases
• Increase energy efficiency
• Load management – shifting loads to balance out peaks

How has DSM traditionally been used/practiced?
DSM has traditionally been practiced by encouraging customers to reduce their consumption of electricity as well as the pattern of their energy usage by promoting energy efficient lighting and appliances or by having customers turn off loads during heavy periods, etc. AdaptiVolt™ takes a fundamentally different approach to DSM.

How does AdaptiVolt™ provide DSM?
Unlike traditional methods of DSM which require customer’s active participation, AdaptiVolt™ acts independently to reduce energy consumption. Through proactive marketing and add campaigns, customers are well informed of the benefits of the AdaptiVolt™ DSM Program. AdaptiVolt™ reduces the load on the customer side of the meter; however, it is implemented at the distribution substation and allows effective DSM control for all classes of customer on an individual and area wide basis.

On a substation distribution line, AdaptiVolt™ measures the voltage on the customer end and then relays that information to the Master unit which then reduces voltage so that end-of-line voltages are held at the lowest level consistent with ANSI 84.1 – 1995 or CSA Standards and levels necessary for proper operation of equipment.

Benefits of the AdaptiVolt™ DSM Program?
For Customers

• Provides the best energy consumption savings without the customer’s active participation.
• Keeps customers aware of energy savings on a monthly basis.
• Guarantees a service voltage optimized for all customer classes.

For Electric Utilities

• Provides systems upgrade, energy efficiencies and overall visibility of operations at the electric utility’s level.
• Facilitates regional coordination, planning and risk mitigation for the provision of appropriate service voltage to all classes of customers.
• Secures all equipment components on the utility’ side, within the distribution infrastructure.
• Ensures efficient load management.
• Provides best value for investment.

For Regulatory organizations

• Allows centralized control and verification of energy consumption levels, system wide or in specific sectors or regions, and also allows a decentralized approach for Local Distribution Companies (LDCs) and regional utilities.
• Provides an ultra reliable and technologically advanced primary distribution grid that offsets transmission infrastructure pressures.
• Facilitates the implementation of regulatory authority over reliability and incentive programs.

For the environment

• Saves energy and the environment alike. Before planning new generation projects and power lines or dispatchable generation capability, the respect of the environment dictates a more efficient approach and use of current electric distribution assets.