Grid Reliability a Growing Concern: Customer-Powered Grid^TM Survey

Grid reliability has become one of the primary reasons that energy users participate in distributed energy resources (DER) monetization, ranking among the top three motivators for the first time in CPower’s annual Customer-Powered Grid™ Survey.

Nearly half (45%) of the almost 500 customers and partners surveyed cited supporting grid reliability as motivation for participating in grid services. Only generating revenue (60%) and reducing energy costs (56%) were cited more often.

Energy users worry about grid disruptions and scarcity events caused by factors such as more power outages from extreme weather and shifting demand patterns due to electrification and other issues.

Electricity peak demand and energy growth rates in North America are both increasing, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation warned in its most recent long-term reliability assessment, noting that the 10-year summer and winter peak demand growth projections showed the largest percentage increase in recent years.

Customers can help balance the grid when and where it’s needed the most through grid services programs that pay them for using less electricity when the grid is stressed.

More than 88% of the CPower customers survey confirmed that DER monetization has helped their business as well. Customers often use the revenue generated from their participation in wholesale market or utility grid programs to improve or invest in operational or sustainability initiatives for their organization.

Sustainability was the second largest motivation for implementing DERs (36%), followed by energy resiliency (31%). By using DERs for themselves and monetizing them through grid services, customers can improve operational reliability while contributing to a cleaner and more reliable energy grid for their community.

To learn more about how DER monetization supports grid reliability and improves energy resiliency, call us at 844-276-9371 or visit CPowerEnergy.com/contact.

Glenn Bogarde
Since becoming CPower’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Glenn has led the company’s sales team on a nationwide mission to help customers get the most from their DER monetization participation. Glenn brings to CPower more than 20 years of sales experience in the enterprise software and energy industries.