iPowerPlay Seeks to Take Electricity Online

iPowerPlay Inc. has applied for a Texas electric aggregator certificate to pool residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

iPowerPlay's website states that it is, "taking electricity online." The site states that iPowerPlay, "liberates the value in utility data and delivers that value through online and social media," and is designed to, "create value, trust and relationships around electricity."

Among iPowerPlay's services is managing all online and social media messaging (web, email, text message, Facebook, Twitter, smartphone apps, etc.) for retail providers.

iPowerPlay's website also indicates that it is running pilots this summer rewarding customers for reducing usage.

Specifically, for eligible homeowners, iPowerPlay's website describes the pilot thusly:

"You sign up with us. Each week we send you a summary of how much energy you've been using, for free. Then, at times when the grid is most stressed between June 1 and Dec 15, 2012, we send you a special notification (maximum 5 times). Within 30 minutes, you turn up your thermostat(s) 3 degrees and leave it there for 1-3 hours (we'll tell you how long). We'll look at your usage data to see if you complied. If we determine that you did, you get the $50 at the end of the season. If you comply with some but not all, we give you a pro-rata portion. (E.g., if we determine you missed 1 of the 5, we'll send you $40.)"

The small business pilot is similar, but with payments of up to $100.

Malcolm Smith serves as the President of iPowerPlay. Smith, a veteran of the Texas market, is also currently president of aggregator EDS2 LP, formerly Energy Data Source LP. Smith was previously an officer at QSE and demand response provider Xtend Energy LP.

Kevin Ellingwood serves as Vice President of iPowerPlay. According to the company's site, Ellingwood has, "two decades of leadership experience driving customer interaction via strategic technology platforms and professional service teams, delivering measurable returns for leading Fortune 100 brands including Victoria's Secret, Nationwide Insurance, Cardinal Health and Credit Suisse."