Progress Energy Monitors Load Demand

Progress Energy Florida (PEF), a subsidiary of Fortune 250 energy company Progress Energy, provides electricity and related services to 1.7 million customers and serves a territory encompassing more than 20,000 square miles.

Challenges

PEF is pursuing a balanced approach to meeting the future energy needs of the region, including increased energy efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. To make this a reality, PEF has partnered with GoodCents, an energy management company that provides residential and small-commercial demand response and energy efficiency programs, to conduct an end-use load research study.

Customers willing to participate in the PEF study had their individual loads, such as air conditioner, water heater, dryer and range, monitored to record energy usage. To collect the recorded data, the project used the customer’s existing phone line and a circuit switched connectivity device that routed incoming calls to either the home phone or the data logger.

However, the circuit switched device had problems with the many participants using digital voicemail, DSL or VoIP, and the number of installed viable landline environments began to drop as consumers complained about interference with their phone or Internet. PEF considered, installing a dedicated phone line to each customer, but the installation and monthly cost was very high, and the connection was not portable to new homes.

Solution

Through the use of the Sierra Wireless AirLink Host RJ-11 IP Gateway communicating with AirLink Raven intelligent devices installed in the field PEF was able to emulate a circuit switched data connection.

After a pilot run Good Cents and PEF realized how simple the installation was and saw data being transferred accurately and efficiently. Confidence in the AirLink Raven wireless modems is now solidified, with 80 percent of PEF consumers involved in the research program currently using the wireless modems.

The Sierra Wireless’ AirLink Raven intelligent gateways have provided the following benefits:

• Decreased costs – Eliminated the need to install additional landlines
• Device portability – Allowed for re-use in future energy efficiency programs
• Simplified conversion – Moved from circuit switched data to wireless IP data without any costly replacement of legacy equipment