ENMAX Corp. and Cisco have announced their collaboration on the development of ENMAX’s next-generation utility model to further Calgary’s energy management and efficiency goals. The project goals are to advance ENMAX’s Smart Grid vision including building energy management, residential energy management, data-center readiness, system security and renewable energy optimization. ENMAX is an integrated utility providing electricity, natural gas, renewable energy and value-added services to over 640,000 metered customers.

The collaboration with Cisco is the latest development in ENMAX's ongoing initiative to migrate its existing electricity services model into a Utility 2.0 model. The objective of this initiative is to bolster system reliability and security, integrate energy from renewable sources, improve the efficiency, management, and reduction of commercial and residential energy usage, and enable future smart grid developments.

ENMAX and Cisco will work together on technologies to enable automated demand-response management with commercial and industrial customers. These technologies will be the basis for solutions that enable the ENMAX group of companies and their customers to optimize power usage throughout their operations. Cisco will also work with ENMAX to explore the management of distributed generation sources. Furthermore, ENMAX plans to launch a pilot project aimed at equipping some Calgary commercial and industrial customer buildings with Cisco Network Building Mediator.