In the News
ECO:nomics - Creating Environmental Capital Wall Street Journal
March 24, 2008
While the demand-response and smart-grid technology industry is growing, it also is consolidating. New York-based WebEnergy.net Inc., which does business as ConsumerPowerline, recently acquired Xtend Energy Inc., an Austin, Texas, specialist in "rapid response" programs designed to react to short-term problems like emergency power outages. Hired by utilities, demand-response companies reach out to the homeowners and companies and ask them to take steps like lowering thermostats, turning off lights or shutting down manufacturing lines when a reduction in power consumption is needed. Whereas traditional demand-response companies may notify customers 30 minutes to two hours in advance about the need to power down, participants in rapid-response programs might get only 10 minutes' notice.