ConnectedSolutions

How to Enroll & Start Saving

Enrolling is simple. If you already own an eligible thermostat you may have received a notification from your thermostat manufacturer asking you to enroll. You can also enroll by following these steps:

1. Check a few boxes to confirm your eligibility
2. Enter some info about your smart thermostat
3. Follow the instructions to complete enrollment

What is Demand Response & How does it Work?

Demand response programs offer customers financial incentives for conserving electricity during periods of peak demand, thus helping to stabilize the electric grid and lowering electricity prices. Much like any industry, electricity is all about supply and demand. When demand is high, power plants must work to increase the electricity supply by using costly generators, thus stressing the grid and increasing prices for consumers. If demand is reduced, there is no need to stress the grid, increase the supply, or increase prices.

Take a hot summer day as an example. Imagine everyone coming home between 5:00 and 7:00 P.M. and cranking their ACs to cool their homes. This causes a peak demand event that can be reduced by a smart thermostat DR program.  Those who are enrolled automatically receive a signal to their thermostat to precool their home before 5:00 P.M., effortlessly reducing the electric load. On a hot summer day when electricity use is at its highest, a little bit goes a long way in reducing costs! The more people who have a smart thermostat connected, the greater the impact.

How Demand Response Helps You Save

The ConnectedSolutions smart thermostat DR program helps save in many ways:

• Supports energy reduction and grid stabilization, helping to reduce associated pollution and long-term costs
• Helps keep electricity prices stable during peak demand
• Utilities grant savings and incentives for enrolling in the program

Whether you are a homeowner or renter, earn a $50 enrollment incentive and a $20 annual incentive for every thermostat connected to a central air conditioner.

How Rhode Island Energy’s ConnectedSolutions Works

Connecting qualified thermostats to the ConnectedSolutions program enables your Rhode Island Energy electricity provider to make small adjustments to your energy use during times of peak demand while rewarding you for helping reduce demand on the electric grid on hot summer days when electricity use is at its highest.

Rhode Island Energy has made it easy for you to conserve energy at these peak times— and earn incentives for doing your part. If you enroll your thermostat in ConnectedSolutions, Rhode Island Energy will automatically send a signal to your thermostat to precool your home before a peak demand event, and then increase your thermostat setting by no more than 4 °F during peak demand.

All events will occur between 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on non-holiday weekdays and weekends between June 1 and September 30. There are typically about 15 peak events every summer, and each event lasts 3 hours.

You will maintain control of your thermostat and you can opt out of a peak event at any time by changing your thermostat setting. You can opt out of most or even all peak events. However, we may unenroll you from the program for the following year if the program is not a good fit for you.

ConnectedSolutions Eligibility Requirements

ConnectedSolutions is available to residential electric customers of Rhode Island Energy

To participate in the ConnectedSolutions program, your thermostat MUST be connected to a central air conditioner, defined as:

• An air conditioner that cools the entirety (or at least the majority) of your home (includes both ducted and ductless systems)
• Window air conditioners are not central air conditioners
• Heating systems that do not cool are not central air conditioners.

Which Smart Thermostats Work with Demand Response (DR) and Where to Purchase Them

There are many options for purchasing a smart, Wi-Fi thermostat that is supported by the DR program.

• Through the Rhode Island Energy website (Shop smart thermostats now!) 
• Through a Rhode Island Energy energy assessment
• At a local or online retailer