Higher DR Realization Starts with Better C&I Enrollment.
Cascade Energy has 30+ years of onsite C&I relationship-building expertise to help turn enrollment commitments into realized load reduction.
Recruitment and Realization are Powered by Trust.
We understand all too well that the human work of getting customers on the same page can be the biggest obstacle when it comes to realization of your load reduction plans. In over 30 years of managing DSM portfolios for C&I customers in the Pacific Northwest and sites beyond, we’ve seen our share of misunderstandings, skepticism, and training gaps. On the other side, we’ve also seen our share of customers who’ve been treated as load assets by aggregators rather than operational partners.
Utilities that run EE and DR as separate programs miss out on the most effective load flex recruitment tool they already have: the relationships and feedback loops that are built through EE channels. Cascade’s DR programs add the missing piece by being onsite, knowing the customers’ names and systems, and building trust that drives recruitment without disrupting your operational continuity.
From Enrollment to Event and Beyond
We bridge EE and DR practices.
- Proactive, relationship-first outreach, not a cold call demanding a production shutdown with no context or follow-up.
- Site visits identify additional load reduction strategies and reinforce nomination commitments.
- EE program participants converted to DR partners through shared technical knowledge of their systems.
We make accountability easy.
- Documentation and data customers can take to leadership to build internal support for load reduction commitments
- Extra support for seasonal readiness, event dispatch, and settlement
- Post-event outreach to under-performers, Load Reduction Plan optimization, and year-over-year realization rate tracking
We power up your metering with Gazebo®.
- AMI and pulse meter interval data for near real-time load shape visibility during events
- Automated baseline calculation and kW reduction measurement against those baselines
- EE and DR savings consolidated and tracked on one platform and dashboard
Common Questions from Utility DR Teams
Why use Cascade, an EE provider, for DR instead of a specialized aggregator?
Our EE background is a strategic advantage. The site relationships and technical credibility that drive EE performance are exactly what make DR recruitment and realization work. When customers see us as a trusted partner instead of just another vendor, they open doors that cold outreach could never open.
We already have aggregators. Will this disrupt their operations?
We work alongside them, not against them, because to do any less would jeopardize your load flex goals. Cascade prefers to coordinate with aggregators across the full C&I portfolio rather than displacing the relationships you’ve already built.
We have all the latest technology. Why are our realization rates still low?
The root cause is almost always commitment quality, not dispatch technology. Sites nominate load they can’t reliably shed, or curtailment plans aren’t reviewed against how the facility actually operates. The fix is on-site LRP reviews and Seasonal Readiness meetings, not better software. Cascade nurtures those onsite connections so you can get the most out of the latest gadgets.
How does integrating EE and DR affect year-over-year realization?
It compounds. Each site visit and post-event review sharpens the next season’s Load Reduction Plan, so realization tends to climb as the relationship matures rather than resetting each program year. Consolidating EE and DR performance on one platform also lets you see which sites are carrying load reduction and which need attention, before the next event.
Need Portfolio-Level Visibility Across EE and DR in One Place?
Gazebo® is the same platform that tracks SEM savings across 25+ utility programs, now extended for real-time DR event management. Built by our own energy engineers, not a software vendor. EE savings and DR performance in one unified view.
Ready to Boost Your DR Enrollment?
Talk to our demand response team about what an EE-integrated approach would mean for your program.
