Advanced Energy’s Steady Partnership with NCEMC

The North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC) is one of the largest generation and transmission cooperatives in the nation. NCEMC strives to put its members first and make sure they are satisfied with their service. This emphasis on member satisfaction aligns perfectly with Advanced Energy’s (AE) customer-focused approach, and has led to a strong and long-lasting relationship.

Over the past 36 years, AE has partnered with NCEMC to provide energy efficiency consulting, training, and education across our market sectors: residential, commercial, motors and drives, industrial, and renewables. NCEMC and its member cooperatives are constantly looking for ways to innovate and improve their service, and when they need assistance with a new development, they seek out AE for insight. AE has been NCEMC’s right-hand man when it comes to energy efficiency, offering trusted experience and expertise. AE has performed trainings for builders and HVAC technicians, site assessments for commercial and industrial members, lab and field testing for new equipment, and strategic planning around electric vehicles. No matter the type of support, though, the focus is always on increasing member satisfaction.

“We rely on the work and research Advanced Energy does to help support us and challenge us to look ahead and implement innovative services and programs.” – Bob Goodson, Chief Operating Officer for the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives

In the early years, a number of programs focused on agriculture. For example, throughout the 1980s, AE helped poultry farmers learn about and implement farm lighting and ventilation changes that greatly cut costs and increased profits. Additionally, AE’s “iceberg” project enabled farmers and utilities to cool produce more efficiently. The project ran small electric icemakers year round to fill an insulated underground tank. Cold water from the tank was then used to produce cold air that chilled vegetables during the harvest season.

In another early undertaking, AE assisted with a project on battery storage, a hot topic in today’s energy climate with the increase in intermittent renewable resources. Working with the Crescent Electric Member Corporation (now EnergyUnited), AE installed and operated a battery energy storage system that was charged at night and used to shave peak loads during winter and summer days.

Fast-forward a couple of decades, and AE continues to offer a variety of services and programs to NCEMC. For example, with the recent growth of electric vehicles, AE has helped NCEMC and its members stay ahead of the curve by providing workshops and creating a step-by-step strategic guide on how cooperatives can prepare. Other projects have supported , and have looked at how smart thermostats can be integrated to save energy, reduce system demand, and lower costs.

AE and NCEMC have had a mutually productive partnership, and we are looking forward to working together for years to come. AE wants to thank NCEMC and North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives for their consistent support over the past three decades.