Several new members have joined the Demand Response and Advanced Metering (DRAM) Coalition, a move which the organization said would allow it to enhance its efforts to help states and utilities in their current work to determine the role of demand response and advanced metering in a state's energy policy.
The Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) instructed states to make a determination as to whether electricity customers should be provided with time-based rates and "smart meters" and many states have already begun proceedings aimed at making such a determination.
The new members of DRAM are Itron, Cellnet, EnergySolve and Sensus Metering Systems, all of whom are among the leading companies in the United States providing advanced metering and demand response products and services.
"We are pleased to welcome these new members into the DRAM Coalition," said Dan Delurey, executive director of DRAM. "These companies are longstanding leaders in bringing the benefits of new energy technologies and services to utilities and customers. With their membership the Coalition will be able to improve and expand its outreach and educational efforts"
The requirement in EPACT for states to consider demand response and advanced metering was termed by Delurey as an opportunity for all parties in a state to come together to identify what makes sense to pursue in that particular state.
"There is broad support for demand response and advanced metering," stated Delurey. "The question is how to make it happen in a way that delivers the greatest value and which recognizes and respects the needs of all stakeholders—utilities and customers as well as others. That is the opportunity that is presently before the states—to have a robust and fair discussion on what the best path forward is. DRAM's goal is to respond to the needs of these parties for information, data etc on demand response and advanced metering so that they can make informed decisions on this important issue"
Members of DRAM include eMeter, Landis + Gyr, Echelon, DCSI, Elster Electricity, SmartSynch, Silver Spring Networks, Hunt Technologies, Comverge, EnerNOC, Itron, Cellnet, EnergySolve and Sensus Metering Systems.
More information on DRAM can be found at www.dramcoalition.org.
