Google Nest and Leap Add Smart Thermostats for Demand Response Capacity in California

In a recent release, Leap, provider of a universal distributed energy exchange, announced its partnership with Google Nest enabling Nest smart thermostats to be deployed for demand response capacity on the Leap Exchange.

Under the agreement Leap has integrated with Google Nest’s Rush Hour Rewards program, allowing customers across the Bay Area and Northern California to enroll their Nest thermostats into its turnkey platform that provides automated, flexible demand capacity to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Customers have already enrolled more than 2,500 Nest thermostats in the Leap plan to date. Leap also enables customers to benefit from other energy-saving conveniences by offering the Nest Hub as a reward for enrollment, giving people the ability to turn Google Assistant-connected devices off through voice or pre-set Routines.

With the agreement in place, Leap is actively leveraging Nest smart thermostat loads to meet real-time electricity demand in California. The loads represent a portion of the demand response capacity awarded to Leap in the California Demand Response Auction Mechanism (DRAM) in June 2018.

“Google Nest is an excellent partner to have as we continue our efforts to deliver much-needed flexible capacity in California – their decision to join the Leap Exchange is a wonderful example of using today’s increasingly smart and responsive appliances as assets that benefit the grid as a whole,” said Thomas Folker, CEO, Leap. “Our combination of simple integration and automated trading capabilities make it easy for the company to deploy a turnkey tool for participation in California’s wholesale energy market while remaining focused on its core mission of delivering quality energy-saving solutions to its customers.”

The Leap Exchange is an open platform that allows fully automated, real-time trading of energy resources on wholesale markets. Leap’s partners increase the value of their assets by participating through a single API, removing technical barriers to entry while providing a simple means of responding to price signals and verifying reduction of load.

“Together with Nest, we are enabling a grid that utilizes all of its assets, large and small, to meet demand in a dynamic and more efficient manner. This is a capability that proves especially important as we enter the months of peak summer demand, and carries benefits throughout the year,” Folker said. “We look forward to working with more partners like Google Nest as we prepare for expansion into new energy markets across the country – markets that face a similar need for a platform like ours which helps smart, connected devices add flexibility and resiliency to the grid.”