· With the awarded capacity, Enel increases demand response portfolio in the New England forward capacity market to 157 MW for the 2021/2022 period from 101 MW previously secured for the 2020/2021 period and enters into Connecticut and Vermont markets.
Rome and Boston, February 21st, 2018 – The Enel Group’s new advanced energy services division Enel X, through its US demand response services company EnerNOC, Inc., was awarded market commitments to deliver 157 MW of demand response resources in the Forward Capacity Market by the Independent System Operator for New England (ISO-NE)[1]. With this award, Enel also enters the demand response market of US states Connecticut and Vermont.
As a result, Enel’s virtual power plant in New England will increase by 50% year-over-year, reaching 157 MW for the 2021/2022 delivery period, from the previously secured 101 MW for the 2020/2021 period.
“Through this award we are delivering on our growth strategy in the advanced energy solution sector, while also expanding our geographical footprint and strengthening our lead in the US demand response market,” said Francesco Venturini, Head of Enel X. “With this additional capacity we will be able to deliver predictable revenues for our commercial and industrial customers, while also helping ensure the reliability of the New England power grid.”
Under the New England demand response programme and through the award, Enel X will manage the electricity demand of large commercial and industrial (C&I) customers connected to the regional power grid, informing those customers when the system needs them to reduce their power consumption to help increase grid stability. C&I customers that join Enel X’s demand response network are paid for their flexibility, which provides a valuable resource to help ensure a steady, reliable source of power for all consumers in the region.
Enel X is present in the US through EnerNOC which operates demand response programmes in all major US wholesale energy markets and is the country’s demand response market leader with approximately 3,900 MW of dispatchable capacity in North America at the end of 2017.
What is a demand response programme
Demand response programmes are set up to pay large energy consumers, such as manufacturing facilities, data centres, and commercial real estate companies, to adjust their energy consumption by either reducing or increasing their power consumption, with the aim to stabilise the grid. Demand response provides greater grid flexibility, stability, and more efficient use of power infrastructure, with a view to help maintain electricity prices as low as possible for all consumers. This demand response programme pays users for being on standby ready to respond in the event of a grid emergency, as well as providing incremental payments if and when they are dispatched.
EnerNOC, an Enel Group Company, partners with enterprises to reduce costs, manage risks, increase sustainability, and maximise the value of emerging energy technologies through customised energy management strategies. EnerNOC is the global leader in demand-side flexibility services, providing large energy users access to more demand response and demand management programmes worldwide than any other provider. In addition to its flexibility solutions, EnerNOC’s technology-enabled advisory solutions help large energy users create value through strategic energy procurement, energy management, and other advanced services such as utility bill management software.
Enel X is a new Enel global business line dedicated to developing innovative products and digital solutions in sectors in which energy is showing the greatest potential for transformation: cities, homes, industries and electric mobility.
Enel is a multinational power company and a leading integrated player in the global power, gas and renewables markets. It is Europe’s largest utility in terms of market capitalisation and figures among Europe’s leading power companies in terms of installed capacity and reported EBITDA. The Group is present in over 30 countries worldwide, producing energy with around 86 GW of managed capacity. Enel distributes electricity and gas through a network of over 2 million kilometres, and with over 65 million business and household customers globally, the Group has the largest customer base among European competitors. Enel’s renewables arm Enel Green Power already manages around 40 GW of wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower plants in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and has recently arrived in Australia.
[1] Independent, not-for-profit corporation responsible for keeping electricity flowing across six New England states including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.