Three Questions on Peak Payback: Insights from Rhythm Energy’s Head of Product

Matthew Tolliver , Co-founder, Head of Product and BD?

What insights drove the launch of the Peak Payback program, and how do you see it shaping consumer behavior in Texas??

Matthew: Informed customers know that, in terms of true cost and true environmental impact, when you use power is just as important as how much power you use. If you use energy when the grid is largely powered by solar, in the middle of the day, or by wind, overnight, the cost and impact can be significantly less than using energy in the evening, for example. Our PowerShift technology was built to address that, and we’ve seen tremendously positive customer response to these plans.?

Given the positive customer response to PowerShift, Peak Payback is our next step in helping customers lower their cost and environmental footprint. With Peak Payback, when prices and emissions are particularly extreme, we adjust customers' energy consumption by making small changes to their connected devices. Right now, we offer customers $60 a year in exchange for them allowing Rhythm to make small changes to their thermostat. Of equal importance, customers are always in control and can opt-out of any adjustment.?

How does Rhythm ensure the balance between energy savings and customer comfort during peak events??

Matthew: Unique among our competitors, Rhythm has built sophisticated machine-learning models that allow us to predict when price and environmental impact will be greatest. With these tools, we can be more precise in when we adjust customers’ devices, ensuring we make changes for only the times needed, when it can make the most impact.??

Specific to thermostats, most of the adjustments we make last between one and three hours, and we do not make adjustments greater than 4 hours or 4 degrees.?

And, of course, customers can always override any adjustment we make, for any reason.?

What role does predictive analytics play in initiating peak events, and how has it evolved with Texas grid demands??

Matthew: The Texas grid is evolving incredibly quickly, with the growth of wind, solar and battery resources, as well as the rise of data centers and cryptocurrency players. Understanding, and predicting, how the grid will behave in both the long-term and short-term is thus critical, and directly informs when and how we use the Peak Payback program. To stay at the forefront of understanding these trends, Rhythm works with world-class partners and has built a great deal of proprietary technology. With this foundation, we can ensure our customers enjoy lower prices, and provide them new ways to benefit from their connected technology.?