Tendril Orchestrated Energy and KCP&L Partner to Pilot New Smart Thermostat Demand Response Program

Orchestrated Energy is able to reduce cooling load by an average of
85% during demand response events, and its daily optimization schedules
reduce HVAC energy usage by up to 24%

BOULDER, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) has partnered with Tendril
Orchestrated Energy to pilot its leading smart thermostat demand
management solution. Tendril’s innovative load-shifting technology,
which has been selected by some of the largest utilities in the country,
will allow KCP&L to add support for ecobee smart thermostats. Tendril’s
approach allows existing ecobee users within KCP&L’s Missouri service
territory to reduce energy consumption during peak periods without
sacrificing comfort.

“We’ve proved that a customer-friendly smart thermostat demand response
program is effective and we are always looking for ways to enhance our
efforts. So we’re excited to partner with Tendril and ecobee as we bring
customers even more options to reduce their energy consumption,” said
Chuck Caisley, Chief Customer Officer, at KCP&L and Evergy. “Our
customers want choice when it comes to the devices they install in their
homes, and working with ecobee lets our customers reap the benefits of
substantial energy efficiency savings via Tendril Orchestrated Energy.”

KCP&L is hoping to benefit from Orchestrated Energy’s ability to improve
demand reduction and energy efficiency with this pilot program all while
keeping customers comfortable. Orchestrated Energy reduces cooling load
by an average of 85 percent during demand response events and its daily
optimization schedules, when coupled with the energy efficiency savings
from the ecobee smart thermostat, reduce HVAC energy usage by up to 24
percent.

“At ecobee we know that the future of energy reduction starts with the
homeowner. We’re excited to partner with KCP&L and Tendril to offer
customer-centric solutions that help homeowners reduce their energy
consumption and save even more on their energy bills,” said Stuart
Lombard, CEO of ecobee.

“We’re proud to partner with KCP&L.They know that empowering customers
with technology to manage their home is a win-win,” said Adrian Tuck,
CEO of Tendril. “A smart home connected to the grid is a powerful
resource for utilities. Tendril Orchestrated Energy creates value for
the utility and the customer simultaneously.”

The initial pilot program runs through September 2018 and targets
existing ecobee smart thermostat owners in KCP&L’s Missouri territory.
Customers who participate will receive a $100 incentive in addition to
expected HVAC energy savings.

About KCP&L

Serving approximately 1.5 million customers in Kansas and Missouri,
Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L), KCP&L Greater Missouri
Operations Company and Westar Energy are the electric utilities of
Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG). Together we generate nearly half the power we
provide to homes and businesses with emission-free sources. We support
our local communities where we live and work, and strive to meet the
needs of customers through energy savings and innovative solutions.

About ecobee

ecobee Inc. introduced the world’s first smart Wi-Fi thermostat to help
millions of consumers live better and save more. The company’s mission
is to create smarter devices that are beautifully designed, easy to use
and provide savings for families, while being good for our planet – most
recently realized with its next-generation smart thermostat, ecobee4 and
the introduction of the company’s first smart light switch, ecobee
Switch+. With ecobee’s pioneering room sensor technology, Amazon Alexa
voice service, far-field voice recognition, and a wide array of smart
home integrations, ecobee combines smart home technology and voice to
help customers manage their home’s comfort, energy and busy lives. For
more information, visit www.ecobee.com.

About Tendril

Tendril is transforming the residential energy market. Our data
analytics on more than 123 million homes creates new business
opportunities for any product or service provider connected to the home.
Today, this includes electric and gas utilities, energy retailers and
real estate professionals. Built over more than a decade, the Tendril
Platform delivers real-time, ever-evolving data about the home and how
people use energy in it. These rich insights help our customers improve
customer acquisition, increase engagement and orchestrate home energy
experiences. For more information, please visit www.tendrilinc.com
and follow us on Twitter at @Tendril.

Contacts

Tendril
Elaine Reddy, 720-252-8105
ereddy@tendrilinc.com