LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. — Nov. 14, 2018 — Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, will collaborate with Alternative Energy Systems Consulting (AESC) and other companies in a project funded by California Energy Commission. Itron will be a leading technology provider in a project to manage load for customers as part of the Smart Home Study. The project will improve the load shape and minimize customer utility costs for 100 homeowners in southern California.

As the electricity grid changes, an increasing number of customers are installing distributed energy resources (DERs), such as batteries, electric vehicles and solar panels. These resources give customers more control over their energy usage, but also dramatically impact the utility grid. To help customers utilize and better understand their energy control potential, the Smart Home Study project aims to minimize the negative aspects of DERs while still realizing the benefits of these transformative technologies.

Aiming to alleviate problematic load shapes and volatility, the Smart Home Study is designed to show customers, utilities and energy service companies how to optimize operation of DERs. In the selected homes, Itron will install its IntelliSOURCE® Enterprise™ Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) to communicate with DERs, such as thermostats, load control switches, batteries, water heaters and eventually electric vehicle chargers. Itron’s solution will allow the utility to control loads from DERs with a combination of software, hardware and services.

“This project takes a unique approach to energy management that provides a win for both customers and utilities. Providing significant savings to users without impacting comfort and convenience, the project will stabilize demand on the grid, nullify negative effects of DERs and still integrate more renewable energy sources into the grid,” said Steve Hambric, vice president of distributed energy management, Itron. “Our proven system will equip the utility to communicate with multiple DERs and give customers the opportunity to have more control over their energy.”