Demand Response Services

Through its global network and strategic partnerships, Nexant provides all the necessary engineering, contracting and marketing services to take advantage of demand response (DR) programs (DR). Many of the demand side management (DSM) programs in operation today at the largest utilities and system operators in the United States, including DR, were designed, implemented, managed, and evaluated by Nexant. As a result, Nexant can offer business and institutional clients unique DR program expertise and perspective.

Demand response is a type of DSM program in which utility system operators offer businesses and institutions incentives to reduce their electricity demand during periods of critical system conditions or periods of high market power costs. These conditions typically occur during times of peak electricity demand, between the hours of 11 am and 6 pm, often from increased air conditioning use during summer days with very high temperatures or from downed power lines during inclement weather.

Our clients can participate by curtailing loads or using their emergency or stand-by generators. Curtailable loads vary by facility but typically consist of lighting, air conditioning, manufacturing, or process equipment, and other non-essential loads capable of immediate response. Emergency or standby generators are often underutilized assets that may be employed at a facility for DR at no inconvenience to the occupants.

As one of the most knowledgeable and largest engineering firm in DR, Nexant offers clients several advantages, including:

• Forward sales-as in the environmental credit markets, access to markets and prices are not guaranteed. Nexant assures market access and firm prices to eliminate all market risks.
• Technical assistance-with potential impacts on facility operations, it is important to enlist the services of a leading energy engineering company such as Nexant. Nexant provides technical expertise to maximize the value of qualifying load and generators in terms of capacity for DR revenues while balancing their application with critical operations.
• Measurement & verification (M&V)-from sub-metering to energy modeling, Nexant provides all necessary M&V services to confirm demand curtailment.
• Program management-Nexant manages all aspects of DR program participation from metering and monitoring systems installation and operation, compliance with the local distribution utility mandates, M&V of demand curtailment, coordinating communications and directives from the ISO or utility, managing all mandatory program reporting, and managing the sales contracting process.