Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Tendril Wins GE, Targets Smart Grid Efforts

Boulder-basd Tendril is reporting today that the firm has signed a deal with GE Consumer & Industrial, where Tendril will enhance GE's demand response appliances. Financial impact of the deal was not disclosed, however, Tendril said that the firm's software will be used by GE to develop an "integrated and interoperable" system for helping GE's appliances communicate over metering and broadband networks. The two firms said that the effort will help GE's demand response appliances to become grid aware, and involve a co-development deal. The firms are targeting GE's appliances, including refrigerators dishwashers, washers, dryers, microwaves, and ranges, and enabling those appliances to respond to differences in time of use (TOU) pricing schemes being implemented by electric utilities. Tendril is venture backed by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Good Energies, RRE Ventures, Appian and Vista Ventures.