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Norfolk State University Partners with Voltus for Energy Efficiency Program

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/15/25

Norfolk State University recently announced that it has selected Voltus, Inc., to implement the university’s new energy efficiency program on its campus in Norfolk, Va. According to a news release, the partnership’s goal is to reduce campus energy use by 27% by the year 2030 and support grid reliability across the state of Virginia. The saved revenue will go toward other university energy and sustainability commitments like smart technology, high-efficiency equipment, and building automation.

“We’re pioneering a holistic and sustainable lifestyle for our campus community to show what’s possible for a modern, energy-efficient university,” said NSU’s Director of Energy and Sustainability, Richard E. Martin. “Voltus makes that possible with their expertise in the PJM market and technology that helps us earn the most with our participation. The customer service and attentiveness Voltus provides make this program easy and most importantly, successful, to the benefit of our entire campus community. This program helps us improve the efficiency of their campus operations with the added benefit of supporting the surrounding community.”

Voltus, operator of a leading distributed energy resource (DER) software platform and virtual power plant (VPP), will use high-efficiency equipment, automated setpoints, and smart scheduling to shift campus buildings’ equipment and electrical use during peak use periods. According to the news release, other program benefits include supporting the local community by preventing grid blackouts, advance notice of potential power shutoffs, and access to real-time data to monitor energy usage.

“We’re thrilled to provide the platform for this precedent-setting initiative at NSU,” said Voltus Vice President of Sales, Sam Scuilli. “University leadership came to us with a vision of a sustainable, energy-efficient campus that leads by example, and our demand response program is a crucial part of that. Our platform simplifies the preparation for and executing of DR events so faculty and students won’t notice the curtailment as it’s happening. What they will notice are the incredible environmental and economic benefits of this program - all of which are detailed in our platform.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

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