With the recent explosion in Advanced Metering Infrastructure and the efforts by FERC and state regulatory agencies to promote Demand Response as an essential component of the electric energy picture in the United States, DR has become a major initiative among the regulated utilities, load serving entities, municipalities, ISOs and RTOs across the nation.

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The benefits of responsive demand have been known for some time:

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• Better utilization of finite transmission and distribution networks

• Deferral of capital investment in new transmission and generation

• Potential for reducing the required margins for ancillary services such as non-spinning and operational reserves

• Reduced energy costs due to reduction of demand during times of high electricity

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Technological advances, energy prices and regulatory initiatives are converging in today’s environment in a way that will finally recognize and bring to bear the full promise of demand response:

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• ISOs and RTOs are moving to fully open ancillary service markets to participation by responsive load

• Advanced Metering infrastructure promises to provide meter data at a much finer degree of granularity, making demand response possible on a much larger scale than ever before

• New technologies are enabling widespread use of time-of-use rates, critical peak pricing, rebates and other innovative rate structures

• Real time pricing of retail energy is not far behind

• Network-enabled premises automation systems are making direct load control and real time customer information systems a reality

• Rising energy prices will bring a faster rate of return to DR projects

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EnDimensions personnel have been involved in the ground-up launch of some of the most innovative demand response programs in both California and Texas for nearly ten years. We understand the issues that go along with notification, performance verification, contract modeling, demand profiling, customer support, billing and settlements in a DR context. Organizations are in the midst of change and adaptation both technically and in business process.

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A comprehensive demand response program requires a global approach to integrate and coordinate process flows and data across many departments within the organization, including the demand response group, metering, customer information services, billing and settlements and operations. EnDimensions has the expertise and experience in all these aspects of the retail energy business, and can help you to leverage your own “organizational DNA” to create a robust and effective DR program. We stand ready to assist in the following areas:

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• Database architecture, data modeling and data structure design

• Integration architecture and design

• Testing, validation and quality assurance

• Project management