On Demand Savings Program

The On Demand Savings (ODS) program was recognized in early 2018 with an award from the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance for helping MGE's business customers achieve greater savings by reducing energy use—especially in summer months when electric use peaks across the region.

The pilot program, initially launched in partnership with Focus on Energy, gives participating commercial customers the opportunity to monitor their energy use in real time to better understand their on-peak demand charges and to develop strategies to reduce their demand and cut energy costs. Exploring new ways to conserve energy through partnerships with our customers is one way we can meet our shared energy goals under our Energy 2030 framework.

With the ODS program, MGE's electric meters interface with the participating organization's energy management system (EMS), providing real-time and historical energy-use data. The program uses a customer's unique demand profile and suggests the best strategies to shed electric load for maximum cost savings. These strategies can be programmed into an existing EMS or be implemented manually by building operators. With this program, customers are able to identify energy-saving adjustments that will work best for them and to take action to control their use and reduce costs during on-peak times.

Thirty-five business customers, who utilize MGE's time-of-use electric rate and have a monthly demand of 20 kilowatts or greater, have participated in this pilot since its inception in 2015. Participating businesses represent a variety of industries ranging from schools to manufacturing with different types of equipment and energy needs. When the initial pilot period ended in September 2016, MGE asked for and eventually received approval from state regulators to continue the program independently through 2018.

This program helps MGE identify and provide education to our customers on which energy-saving strategies are most effective. For energy-saving recommendations tailored to your business and budget, request an Energy Assessment from an MGE Account Manager.