Greenwell Springs, LA - DEMCO launched a survey inviting its members to share their thoughts on innovative technologies that could help reduce the need to purchase additional power during times of extraordinary demand.
Even with careful planning, there are times when DEMCO must purchase additional power beyond what’s expected to meet actual demand. These high-usage periods can occur for several reasons, such as extreme weather (like a heatwave or cold snap), increased energy consumption during holidays, or sudden changes in member behavior, such as a surge in air conditioning or heating usage. When this happens, DEMCO, like other utilities, must buy more electricity at higher market prices to keep the lights on for everyone.
“As a cooperative, we all share in the cost of power supply, so managing demand is in everyone’s best interest,” said Randy Pierce, CEO of DEMCO. “By collaborating with our members to harness the power of their own resources, we can help avoid those higher-cost power purchases during peak times. That’s a win for both the co-op and our members.”
DERMS, or Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems, will be a tool that can help DEMCO manage energy more efficiently by balancing power supply and demand. During peak times, DEMCO can tap into local energy resources like rooftop solar panels, home battery storage, smart thermostats, and whole home generators from participating DEMCO members instead of purchasing additional power at higher rates. These technologies allow members to either contribute power to the grid or reduce their own energy usage at critical moments, easing the overall demand on the system.
“When we all work together to reduce energy usage during peak times, we reduce the need for expensive power purchases,” Pierce explained. “This is where smart thermostats come in—these devices can automatically adjust your energy consumption during those critical times, helping you save money while also helping the co-op manage demand more effectively.”
DEMCO encourages members to participate in a short survey to provide feedback on these emerging energy technologies. DEMCO can develop programs that maximize these resources to benefit the entire community by understanding how members currently use tools like solar panels and smart thermostats.
“Your input is key,” Pierce added. “We want to hear from you to ensure that any energy-saving programs we introduce align with your needs. The more we know how our members use energy, the better we can tailor our approach to keep costs low and reliability high.”
