smartgrid

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UD Awarded Contract by PG&E

PG&E plans to default residential customers to Time-of-Use (TOU) rates starting April 2021. The objective of this Demand Response Emerging Technology (DRET) demonstration project is to leverage residential Voice Assistants technology (such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home) to educate residential customers on energy usage and bill forecast, rates and Time-Of-Use automation/optimization, available IoT and connectivity, configuration, and notification on utility information.

 

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Your Own Energy Expert!

Take a listen to this awesome recording.

We are very excited to announce the launch of Energy Expert, the Alexa Skill and ecosystem of things that will enable you to better understand and optimize your energy usage and costs. Energy Expert uses OpenADR 2.0 standard to manage and process Time of Use prices. Two of the most electrifying features of Energy Expert are Proactive Notifications and Automatic Optimization. Take a listen to this awesome recording.

Automatic Optimization uses your Energy Savings Preferences (low to high), and energy price for that duration, and temporarily automates your things to optimize your energy usage, savings and comfort. For example, Energy Expert may temporarily adjust your thermostat setting to save energy during peak energy times.

Through Alexa as well as SMS/email, Proactive Notifications provide you with helpful energy information and tips. For example, Energy Expert may notify you of the best time to operate your connected appliance(s) to save energy and money based on your current rate. Or, you may be notified of an activity that goes against your Energy Savings preferences.

Energy Expert is trained to help you achieve your energy savings goals. Energy Expert is not there to take over your life nor is it going to force you into doing something you don’t like. As such, you can opt out at any time using Alexa voice commands, manually adjusting the device being optimized, or through the ISY Portal.

 

If you are already a participant in Southern California Edison Smart Speaker Project, to get started, please follow the instructions here.

If you are a Southern California Edison or PG&E customer and wish to be considered for participation in this program with your existing equipment, please contact sales@universal-devices.com.

 

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UD Awarded Contract by SCE

The project will focus on the following:

  • Optimization of connected devices based on Time-Of-Use rates
  • Customer interaction with smart speakers using Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant

The project will leverage the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) investment in the RATES (Retail Automated Trans active Energy System (RATES) pilot. The RATES pilot optimized connected devices based on real time prices received from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and enabled customers to interact with a smart speaker to gain insights into energy use. Modifications will be made to the RATES system to provide the requirements requested in this implementation (optimizing connected devices based on SCE residential TOU rates instead of real time prices).

This project was completed in 1Q 2022. Here’s the link to the final results.

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The Importance of IoT and Transactive Energy for the Smart Grid

When: June 12, 2019 3:30 PM PDT
Where: International OpenADR Symposium at PG&E Pacific Energy Center 

Services for IoT and Transactive Energy (TE) will be required to enable a truly smart grid. Michel Kohanim discusses UD\’s existing research, framework, complementing products/ecosystem that have seamlessly integrated IoT technologies and Smart Grid standards including Transactive Energy. OpenADR is a perfect fit for bringing all these services under one standardized umbrella.

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ISY994 + Tesla = Awesome

The way we are going, pretty soon ISY will be driving your car and you can sit back and relax! Till then, bask in the awesome integration of ISY and Tesla and enjoy unprecedent automation and control!

Examples:

  • Use your preferences in ISY Programs to honk the horn, lock/unlock doors, open/close the sunroof, and flash the lights
  • Use battery range, state of charge, and your own preferences – such as price of electricity – as conditions to automate when to charge/discharge
  • Use a motion sensor on the outside of your home as a trigger for your Tesla to honk the horn and flash the lights to thwart off intruders

Prerequisites:

Take A Test Drive

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Introducing UD Integrator/Dealer Program

This program is specifically designed to be simple while providing you with opportunities for growth, customer outreach, support, and partnership.

Highlights:

  • Free equipment every year
  • Substantial discounts on products and bundles including SmartHome products
  • Dedicated dealer support page with specialized dealer-focused content
  • Listed in our searchable dealer directory 
  • Partnership opportunities for our utility and government energy efficiency projects
  • Listing on Insteon’s Dealer page

Learn more & sign up

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Welcome!

The subject says it all! 

This milestone has been in the making for the past 12 years and for very good reasons. First and foremost, we had to make sure ISY was rock solid and feature packed. With 5.0.x firmware being very close to release, ISY is now the one and only product that lets you give your customers unprecedented levels of integration and comfort. ISY’s energy saving capabilities, such as OpenADR and Smart Meter integration, give you the tools to not only save energy and money for your customers but also apply for country wide rebates and incentives.

The other very important reason was our quest to make sure your investment in UD and ISY is not only safe but also profitable. With the ubiquity of low cost command/control hubs, we didn’t feel comfortable with our value proposition. Things have dramatically changed since then. We now have tens of thousands of registered customers on this site and not a week goes by that we are not asked for ISY professionals. Combine this with our utility and government contracts/grants, and you have a  world class, reputable, and solid partner behind you.

Here’s a high level list of what you are getting with your membership:

Thank you for joining us!

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CA Energy Commission EPIC 2019 Symposium

When: February 19, 2019
Where: CA Energy Commission 

Universal Devices was featured in the CA Energy Commission’s EPIC Symposium both in the poster session, represented by Orly Hasidim, and in an in-depth panel discussion. The event took place in the Sacramento Convention Center and was attended by many including members of the legislator.

The keynote speech was given by Senator Henry Stern. Senator Stern is a known supporter of energy efficiency innovation and has provided a letter of support to Universal Devices for their BRIDGE project in 2018.

 

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The Importance of IoT in Smart Grid Technologies

When: February 26, 2019 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM PST
Where: Lawrence Berkley Lab – Energy Technologies Area (as well as online)

Perhaps you have already heard of IoT – Internet of Things. IoT is pretty much meaningless without a purpose: how does it help anyone? 

Michel Kohanim discusses UD\’s existing research, framework, complementing products/ecosystem that seamlessly integrate IoT technologies, Smart Grid standards, and AI assistants to help us all save money, save energy and save the planet.

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