Kentucky-based Virtual Peaker and Enel X have signed multi-device agreements to provide software and energy services for two public utilities – Snohomish County PUD (SnoPUD) and Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC).

Virtual Peaker is a cloud-based energy management platform and Enel X is the Italy-based Enel Group’s energy services business line.

“Software plays a critical and increasingly urgent role in transforming how we as a society consume energy while preserving precious natural resources,” said Bill Burke, Virtual Peaker CEO. “Virtual Peaker is thrilled to partner with Enel X, a global leader committed to delivering energy solutions that meet at the crossroads of sustainability, digitalisation and innovation.”

The partnership will support SnoPUD, the second-largest publicly owned utility in Washington state, with JuiceBox smart EV charging stations from Enel X and smart thermostat programmes from Virtual Peaker that incentivise users to adapt their behaviour or employ home technology to shift energy usage.

Known as FlexEnergy, SnoPUD’s programme pilots will use fixed rate design so users can realise savings when they change their behaviour or use new technology. By incorporating demand response, they can lower their energy bills and save money, with fixed-peak pricing that encourages them to reduce energy usage at times designated by SnoPUD, such as when energy demand is high.

For MMWEC, Virtual Peaker and Enel X will collaborate on systems designed to provide flexible demand response through JuiceBox smart charging stations as well as smart water heaters, batteries and thermostats. MMWEC’s connected homes programme makes it easier for residential users of MMWEC’s municipal light plant members across Massachusetts to connect their smart appliances and devices. Participants agree to brief, limited adjustments, such as, temporarily reducing EV charging during peak hours, in exchange for a rebate check or bill credit, providing a way for them to save money while reducing their impact on the environment.

“Across North America, we are seeing the broad effects of the climate crisis, from wildfires and drought in California, to record-breaking heat throughout the Pacific Northwest,” said Giovanni Bertolino, head of e-mobility at Enel X in North America. “As these extreme weather events become more common, the need for intelligent energy solutions that deliver environmental and economic impact is critical. Through our partnership with Virtual Peaker, we’re able to deliver smart charging to new markets, benefiting the utilities and their customers.”

Through the partnership, utilities will have access to Enel X JuiceBox smart charging stations, powered by JuiceNet software, providing grid-connected charging and enabling the utility to support broader adoption of EVs and manage peak electricity demands. JuiceNet monitors drivers’ historical charging patterns, acquires real-time input and signals from the electric grid to aggregate and manage charging station demand, allowing EV drivers to contribute by charging at times when electricity costs are lower and renewable energy is most available.

In California, Enel X, through its enrolled smart EV chargers, manages a roughly 70MW highly distributed virtual power plant (VPP). The VPP is active in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) wholesale day-ahead and real-time markets, dynamically managing charging loads to balance grid demand, reduce wholesale energy costs and mitigate the intermittency of renewables.

Virtual Peaker is a cloud-based energy management platform. Using IoT technology, it connects to any in-home smart device to allow utilities to run residential demand response programmes, develop revenue streams and exceed customer engagement goals. Virtual Peaker is based in Louisville, Kentucky.

Enel X is Enel’s global business line in the advanced energy services field with a demand response capacity of more than 6GW globally managed and assigned and 110MW of storage capacity worldwide, as well as an operator in the electric mobility sector, with 195,000 smart EV charging ports around the globe.