ecobee and the power partners
Smart home company ecobee announced two energy saving programs – one with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and one with Hydra One – to help strengthen the electricity grid in communities across Ontario by reducing the strain on the grid during periods of high demand.
Residents of Ontario, said the firm, who own a smart thermostat, can now earn $75 for enrolling in either the IESO’s Save on Energy Peak Perks program, or the Hydro One myEnergy Rewards program through the Community Energy Savings feature in the ecobee app.
“At ecobee, we are committed to offering planet positive solutions that address the timely problems customers are facing, such as increasing energy costs and growing demand for electricity,” said Chris Carradine, EVP at ecobee Energy.
Participating customers will experience slight, temporary, and automatic temperature adjustments of a few degrees on their ecobee smart thermostat during periods of high energy demand, said the Toronto-based smart thermostat company, a part of Generac Holdings.
Customers will remain in control of their comfort and can opt out of the adjustment at any time, said the firm, or adjust their settings in the ecobee app to match the impact they want to have.
“Over the next 20 years, the IESO forecasts that demand for electricity will grow 40 percent across Ontario,” said Tam Wagner, director, Demand Side Management, the IESO. “Energy efficiency programs, which include Peak Perks, are a cost-effective resource that continually help the province meet its electricity demands.”
Community energy savings programs, said the firm, aim to provide an opportunity for customers to play a significant role in the operation of the electricity grid, with the goal of ensuring a cost-effective, sustainable, and reliable electricity system in Ontario.
“As a company that was founded in Ontario, we’re excited to participate in these important energy-saving programs, which will allow more Ontarians to help their communities and automatically save on energy, without sacrificing comfort,” said Carradine.
ecobee Inc. was founded in 2007 with what it called, “a mission to improve everyday life while creating a more sustainable world.” Since launching the world’s first smart thermostat, ecobee has helped customers across North America save more than 27.8 TWh of energy, which is the equivalent of taking all the homes in Los Angeles and Chicago off the grid for a year.
