M2M Communications (Agricultural Load Control Program in California Central Valley)
Sept. 15, 2014
U.S. Department of Energy
Beginning in March 2010, M2M Communications (M2M) developed and installed two-way, web-to-wireless load-control devices as part of the Peak Energy Agriculture Rewards (PEAR) program, an agricultural demand response program in California's Central Valley. The program was marketed to agricultural customers within Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (SCE) service territories and ran through April 2011.
The controllers collected real-time information on water use and soil conditions, enabling farmers to make informed decisions as to whether they could participate in peak demand response vents and earn cash incentives. The load-control devices turned irrigation pumps off and on in response to announcements of critical peak events.
