New Sub 1 cent cost-effectiveness is possible via IoT and Computer Vision

Utilities & Grid Operators

Review the data: Cost Effectiveness – Fastest and Firmest Capacity in todays market is the FlexiWatt – DSM and BYOC.

Governor and PUC mad that your state doesn’t have large load capacity hookup for several years out?

Shed useless MW vampire load while offering your customers a drastic improvement in their building protection for free.

How?  Via constant computer vision monitoring, smart switching and alerting.  National Science Foundation, AWS, NVIDIA and 48 utility company supported.

Source: Bloomberg US Data Center Outlook, April 2025

Why Utilities Are Moving Quickly- Cost Effectiveness in the decade ahead.

Emerging Risk Current Utility Pain Powder Watts Solution
Winter peaks rising faster than summer peaks as electric heating and EV adoption grow. ISO-NE projects winter will out-peak summer by 2033. Traditional DR programs were built for hot afternoons, not sub-zero mornings. Powder Watts permanently sheds 70–90 % of heat-cable load and lets operators Shape and Shift what remains.
Single-node constraints: some mountain towns are constrained, with feeders and substations stressed on winter days. New transformers and lines arrive on multi-year timelines. Installs in weeks, needs zero new transmission, and can be geo-targeted feeder-by-feeder.
Spot-market power during cold snaps can top $200/MWh; some utilities hit $275/MWh on 22 Jan 2025. Emergency purchases strain budgets and ratepayers. Guaranteed winter capacity costs < $50 per kW net after rebates—one-quarter the price of spot energy.
Battery supply chains remain lithium-constrained; a 4-kWh system still runs $1,000’s a kW. Storage is essential but scarce and slow to interconnect. Powder Watts unlocks comparable flexibility with no raw-material risk and no interconnection queue.

FlexiWatt™ Platform

  • AI + Computer Vision: Activates heat cables only when snow or ice is detected—no wasted energy.
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Smart switches track kWh and runtime at the circuit level.
  • Utility Control: Secure APIs enable Shape, Shift, and Shed (DOE VPP-aligned).
  • Hands-Off for Homeowners: Fully automated, zero effort—saves money and supports the grid.

Grid-scale rollout planning: 1+ GW of Dispatchable Winter Savings

Metric Value
Locations in Tranche 1 278 000
Switches per location 2–10 (homes)   •  10–40 + (commercial)
Annual savings per switch 4.3 MWh
Total dispatchable capacity (rated) > 1 GW
Grid build-out required None – installs behind the meter

Scalable Impact

The Powder Watts rollout will make FlexiWatt™ the largest energy-efficiency virtual power plant (VPP) ever launched in the U.S.—delivering verifiable, behind-the-meter capacity a full winter sooner and at a fraction of the cost of storage or grid upgrades.

Smart load control like FlexiWatt™ achieves the same grid impact—faster, cheaper, and with far less risk—than traditional infrastructure or emerging generation technologies supporting the Nation’s need for energy dominance.

 

Program Structures Utilities Are Deploying

  • Customer rebates example: $2,000 dollars per switch, or $1,000 per kW controlled
  • Performance-based VPP payments tied to sub-metered load drop and availability
  • Targeted Non-Wires Alternatives to defer feeders, transformers, and substations
  • REC and CO₂ accounting to meet decarbonization obligations
  • Equity carve-outs for disadvantaged communities

All telemetry can be supplied via REST or OpenADR for seamless integration with DERMS/ADMS.

Results

  • 90%+ Energy Reductionat ski resorts—now expanding site-wide.
  • Thousands of Installsunderway across CO, UT, MT, WY, and the Pacific Northwest via Tri-State and PacifiCorp.
  • 6–12 kW Peak Reductionper home and 40+ kW per commercial site—plus enhanced building protection through continuous monitoring and alerts.

Built for the Nation’s VPP Vision

Grid Function Delivered by Powder Watts
Shape Yes – flattens morning/evening peaks
Shift Yes – can move load outside 4–9 p.m. critical window
Shed Yes – eliminates ~70–90 % of demand permanently
Shimmy No – not a frequency-response device

Partner With Powder Watts

Utilities, co-ops, municipal providers, and CCAs are adopting FlexiWatt™ to:

  • Eliminate winter coincident peak at < $50 per kW net cost
  • Defer expensive T&D upgrades and avoid costly spot purchases
  • Hit IRP, decarbonization, and equity targets with measurable results
  • Deploy grid-edge capacity in weeks, not years

Contact us to design a rebate, VPP, or non-wires program tailored to your toughest winter challenges.

Powder Watts
FlexiWatt™ – the simplest way to strengthen the winter grid without wires, lithium, or delay.

Powder Watts can return as much power to the grid as adding 33 Hoover Dams.