Comverge Announces Support for DOE/EPA National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency and Demand Response

Comverge Major Supplier to National Action Plan Authors 


EAST HANOVER, N.J., Sept. 12  /PRNewswire/ -- (Comverge, Inc.) -- Amid growing concerns about energy costs and the reliability of the national electricity grid, the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency recently released it's National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, naming Energy Efficiency, including Demand Response, as "critically underutilized in the nation's energy portfolio." As a supplier of Demand Response technologies to over half of the utilities represented by the report's leadership group, Comverge Inc. announced today its endorsement and support of the actions specified by the report.

As distributed resources, Energy Efficiency and Demand Response have not typically received the national attention provided to other Clean Energy technologies (such as solar, wind, & "smart grid" initiatives). The prominence of this report clearly shifts national focus to these resources as powerful tools in the effort to both reduce the average cost of electricity and increase its reliability.

Confirming the potential of Energy Efficiency and Demand Response to help alleviate the pressure on the nation's electric infrastructure, Comverge announced that it successfully provided over 155 MW of capacity utilizing its Virtual Peaking Capacity(SM) programs throughout the country during the summer heat spell. Additionally, Comverge technology and services have supplied approximately 2,000 MW of peak capacity to utilities represented by the report's authorship board and another 615 MW of peaking capacity to utilities regulated under state commissions represented on the authorship board -- totaling approximately 2,615 MW.

The report, authored by a board of 50 representatives from electric utilities, utility regulatory boards, and consumer advocates from across the country, clearly defines Energy Efficiency to include Demand Response and "peak shaving" programs. It emphasizes the potential impact of Demand Response and Energy Efficiency -- citing potential annual energy bill savings of nearly $20 billion and net societal benefits of over $250 billion over the next 10-15 years. The report goes on to recommend equal treatment of supply-side resources and demand-side resources in wholesale energy markets, recommending "investment in demand-side solutions in a way that is equivalent to (not necessarily the same as) supply and transmission solutions."

"Comverge particularly endorses this idea of a market design that equitably incorporates both demand-side and supply-side resources," commented Robert M. Chiste, Comverge Chairman, President, & CEO. "Our Virtual Peaking Capacity(sm) program model, whereby utilities can purchase megawatts of peak capacity achieved through Demand Response directly from Comverge, offers the flexibility and dispatchability that make this concept realizable today, all on a 'pay for performance' basis to the utility. Our programs across the country have collectively been called upon as the least-cost resource over 30 times this summer season, providing 155 MW of capacity. We look forward to proactively supporting the actions specified by this committee and applaud their leadership in what has become an influential and far-reaching effort."

About Comverge

Comverge, Inc., a leading Clean Energy company, provides environmentally responsible, low-cost peak electric demand reduction achieved through Demand Response solutions and technologies, such as its patent pending fully outsourced Virtual Peaking Capacity(TM) offering. As North America's leader in Demand Response, Comverge serves over 500 clients in the electric utility industry, implementing both integrated and outsourced solution-based models for direct and price responsive load management, remote meter reading, and distributed generation monitoring. Comverge's investors include Nth Power, EnerTech Capital, Data Systems & Software (OTC:DSSI) (BULLETIN BOARD: DSSI) , E.ON Venture Partners (NYSE:EON), Ridgewood Capital, Easton Hunt Capital Partners, Norsk Hydro Technology Ventures (NYSE:NHY), Air Products, Emerson, Rockport Capital Partners, Partners for Growth, and the Shell Internet Ventures affiliate of Royal Dutch/Shell. For more information, please visit http://www.comverge.com/.

  Contact:
  Arthur Vos
  VP, Marketing, Products, & Strategy
  973.884.5970, 

DATASOURCE: Comverge, Inc.



CONTACT:  Arthur Vos, VP, Marketing, Products, & Strategy,

[phone],  



Web site:  http://www.comverge.com/ 

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