TORONTO – SWTCH Energy and AutoGrid have teamed up to integrate 250 electric vehicle (EV) chargers into a demand response program with a Canadian utility. This partnership marks the first time that a North American utility will incorporate multi-unit residential chargers into its demand response programs.
AutoGrid’s Flex™ platform uses artificial intelligence to process data from millions of energy assets, enabling it to forecast demand patterns. By integrating with this technology, SWTCH’s EV chargers that participate in AutoGrid’s demand response programs will be adjusted remotely during brief periods, in order to manage demand on the electrical grid.
“We are committed to introducing and scaling innovative solutions with outsized impacts on grid reliability and efficiency,” said SWTCH CEO and Co-Founder Carter Li. “With AutoGrid’s experience as a leading DERMS provider, we look forward to a successful launch in Canada and a rapid expansion across North America.”
AutoGrid’s partnership with SWTCH supports EV adoption in multi-family properties, while expanding access for consumers to participate in the energy transition. Amit Narayan, AutoGrid Founder and CEO, said, “We are excited to be part of this important milestone in striving for energy equity and climate action.”
Demand response is a technology-enabled conservation system for electric power supply, which involves shifting or shedding electricity during peak demand periods. The global demand response market is expected to grow by $1.07 billion between 2020 and 2025, led by North America. This type of demand response program is becoming increasingly popular in the single-family home category, but multi-tenant building assets remain an untapped resource. The partnership between SWTCH and AutoGrid sets a precedent for DERMS providers and utilities across the continent at a time when the need for energy resilience is more dire than ever.
