October 2024 – Edo, a leading provider of demand flexibility solutions, is proud to announce it is a project collaborator in a newly awarded $2 million grant from the California Energy Commission. The project, led by independent, non-profit energy R&D institute EPRI, will utilize community-based virtual power plant (VPP) approaches and advanced energy management systems (EMS) to optimize energy use at two Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools. 

The Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program supports California’s clean energy goals by focusing on advancing early-stage clean energy technologies that provide direct benefits to ratepayers by improving grid reliability, lowering costs, and enhancing safety. Edo’s role in the project includes the deployment of its innovative VPP platform, which transforms existing building systems to become grid-interactive, efficient assets capable of responding to real-time grid needs. 

"We’re thrilled to collaborate with EPRI and receive this award to advance California’s ambitious clean energy goals," said Emilie Bolduc, Edo’s Chief Commercial Officer. "Our work with LAUSD will demonstrate how schools can be a part of the clean energy transition by integrating into virtual power plants to increase demand flexibility and reduce consumption during high-carbon emitting hours." 

 The three-year demonstration will showcase the latest advancements in energy management systems and VPPs, focusing on enhancing the interoperability of energy management systems (EMS) and utilizing open-source standards. The project will also aim to significantly reduce energy consumption and effectively manage peak-hour loads during both summer and winter. 

The project will focus on two disadvantaged community schools in LAUSD: Maywood High School and Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, encompassing over 285,000 square feet of building space. By using Edo’s innovative VPP technology, the schools will be transformed into grid-interactive buildings, reducing energy use while maintaining occupant comfort. 

Edo’s VPP solution includes advanced controls and predictive load management to optimize heating, ventilation, and HVAC systems, and behind-the-meter distributed energy resources (DERs), such as energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) charging. This will allow the schools to contribute to grid stability while maintaining occupant comfort and minimizing costs.