Uplight’s Predictive Capacity Dispatch (PCD) solution has been recognized as a Top Product in the Software and Cloud category for the 2026 E+E Leader Awards! The E+E Leader Awards recognize products, projects, and organizational initiatives delivering measurable progress in operational efficiency, environmental performance, and business resilience.
PCD transforms thermostat demand response (DR) portfolios into firm, predictable capacity resources through AI-driven forecasting and dispatch optimization—while improving the customer experience through shorter, more comfortable events.
Turning Demand Response Into Reliable Grid Capacity
Smart thermostat demand response programs are among the most widespread utility demand-side management initiatives, with millions of participating customers nationwide. Yet despite their ubiquity, these programs have historically suffered from unpredictable performance—with effectiveness at times dropping to as little as 10% by the final hour of longer events. This inconsistency is one of the reasons that has prevented utilities from treating thermostat DR as a reliable capacity resource.
Uplight’s PCD solution turns variable DR portfolios into reliable capacity by leveraging:
- AI-powered individual forecasting: Using AMI and weather data, our algorithms create individualized load forecasts for each participating household, enabling day-ahead forecasting with up to 98% accuracy and less than 5% hourly variability.
- Intelligent dispatch orchestration: Instead of activating all thermostats simultaneously, PCD segments customers into strategic groups and sequences them in multiple dispatch waves—with each participating for only one or two hours rather than the full four. This delivers consistent load shift while improving customer comfort.
- Real-time performance optimization: The platform continuously learns from each event, refining predictive models and dispatch strategies to improve future performance.
Proven Results Across Utility Partners
PCD has delivered measurable results across multiple utility programs including:
- Day-ahead event performance forecasting accuracy of up to 98%
- Reduced hourly performance variation by up to 148% compared to standard dispatch
- Decreased customer opt-out rates by to 15% through shorter, more comfortable events
During a pilot with a Western municipal utility, nearly 30,000 participating customers achieved a 148% variance reduction, unlocking up to $1.4 million in monthly capacity value. And during a July 2025 heat wave, a Southeastern utility leveraged PCD to predict 37 MW of sustained load shift from 34,000 smart thermostats—with official measurement and verification confirming 36 MW delivered when grid stress was highest.
An E+E Leader judge writes:
Demonstration pilot and results that offer potentially significant predictive performance, cost savings and efficiency. Uplight’s Predictive Capacity Dispatch (PCD) is positioned convincingly as a shift from reactive demand response to firm, forecastable capacity.
Most critically, PCD enables utilities to respond to load growth today rather than waiting years for new infrastructure. While even fast-to-build generation involves substantial lead times and capital costs, PCD can launch in a few months or less, providing grid relief by optimizing existing resources.
We’re proud of our teams for designing, launching, and continuously improving PCD. Our roadmap includes expanding PCD beyond smart thermostats to forecast behavioral DR and EV charging—continuing to unlock flexibility across the distributed energy landscape.
