Westar Energy, Inc. has selected eMeter to provide the necessary smart grid software to commence its SmartStar program in Lawrence, Kansas. Designed to give customers better insight into electricity use and cost information, the SmartStar program became a reality with a $19 million grant from the Department of Energy's Smart Grid Investment Grant program.
After a rigorous evaluation process, Westar Energy selected eMeter to provide the Smart Grid technologies that will engage Westar Energy's customers and give them daily access into their electricity use and its costs. With eMeter's Energy Engage, customers can receive this information via the web, emails or even text alerts making it easy for them to adjust their energy use and focus on energy conservation.
Additionally, the new technology will allow Westar Energy to better connect renewable energy sources into the grid and prepare the grid for future energy needs, including the integration of electric vehicles.
Westar Energy is one of several utilities to receive funding from the DOE's Smart Grid grant under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. eMeter transmission and distribution utility customer, CenterPoint Energy also received $200 million in DOE funding to accelerate the deployment of its advanced metering system and begin its Intelligent Grid project. eMeter's EnergyIP software platform will enable Westar Energy to better integrate operations and manage the electrical grid by detecting outages, power loss and reducing peak demand as well as provide more detailed monthly bills to its customers. eMeter's EnergyIP is the centerpiece of eMeter's Smart Grid Management Software Suite that has the most large scale, mass-market deployments in the industry. It not only enables utilities like Westar Energy to rapidly deploy meter-to-cash, but also serves as a flexible platform upon which Westar Energy can add other applications such as deployment planning, automated provisioning and asset tracking.
