GridPoint to Provide Software Solutions for SMUD`s Smart Grid Solar Project

ARLINGTON, Va.--(Business Wire)--
GridPoint, Inc., an established leader in smart grid software, announced today
that it will provide storage management, renewable integration, and home energy
management solutions for Sacramento Municipal Utility District`s (SMUD) smart
grid solar project, the recipient of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) funding. GridPoint worked with the utility to draft the proposal, which
is part of $117.6 million allocated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in
support of high penetration solar deployment projects.

SMUD`s project will evaluate how the integration of energy storage could enhance
the value of distributed photovoltaic (PV) resources for the community, the
utility and the grid by reducing peak loads, firming capacity and maximizing
overall system efficiency. It will help build a strategy that can be replicated
throughout SMUD`s service territory. The project will integrate energy storage
into an existing PV environment, a residential solar community in Rancho
Cordova, California, and test new consumer control concepts and PV inverter
control within an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system.

"Energy storage is considered the holy grail because it is the key to bringing
significant quantities of renewable energy onto the grid. When it can be easily
controlled by both a utility and consumers, it offers a compelling solution for
optimizing the grid," said Peter L. Corsell, CEO, GridPoint. "We are pleased to
be partnering with SMUD on this deployment, which will likely provide
significant lessons for the industry as a whole."

GridPoint`s software will monitor and control solar production and storage
assets in real time, allowing SMUD to determine how to make them a predictable
and more valuable energy resource. GridPoint`s software will be used to dispatch
stored energy from advanced batteries to reduce peak demand, power or back up
homes` critical loads, charge the batteries, or export solar into SMUD`s
distribution system.

The integration of GridPoint`s software with SMUD`s AMI system will facilitate
household load control via GridPoint`s home energy management portal, a critical
element of the project. The portal will allow consumers to view household energy
usage, PV production and output, and energy storage capacity, and also receive
and respond to real-time pricing signals from SMUD to curtail usage during
periods of peak demand.

GridPoint`s capabilities will also enable the utility to evaluate whether
capacity firming and advanced pricing signals influence consumer behavior. And
it will allow SMUD to observe consumer preferences and interaction with the
technology in order to provide innovative services and increase the
effectiveness of energy conservation programs.

"We expect that both SMUD and our customers will benefit from GridPoint`s
capabilities, which include providing flexibility to home owners in managing
their energy use and balancing the load curve to improve overall reliability and
efficiency," said Jim Shetler, SMUD Assistant General Manager, Energy Supply.

GridPoint`s software aggregates and manages an intelligent network of
distributed energy resources that controls load, stores energy and produces
power. Utilities efficiently balance supply and demand, improve grid reliability
and empower consumers with user-friendly software to manage energy consumption.
With GridPoint`s interoperable enterprise-class server technology, utilities
rapidly integrate and manage emerging technologies, resulting in a practical
path to developing a clean, efficient 21st century grid.

GridPoint is working with utilities nationwide including Austin Energy, Duke
Energy and Xcel Energy. The company was recently named to the Global Cleantech
100 and in 2008 was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Technology
Pioneer.

About SMUD

As the nation`s sixth largest publicly owned utility, SMUD has been providing
low-cost, reliable electricity for more than 60 years to Sacramento County (and
a small portion of Placer County). SMUD is a recognized industry leader and
award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power
technologies, and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. The
utility is on track to become the first large California utility to receive 20
percent of its energy from renewable resources. For more information, visit
smud.org.

About GridPoint

GridPoint, Inc., an established leader in smart grid software, enables utilities
to easily manage the transformation to a Smart Grid. GridPoint`s software
aggregates and manages an intelligent network of distributed energy resources
that controls load, stores energy and produces power. Utilities efficiently
balance supply and demand, improve grid reliability and empower consumers with
user-friendly software to manage energy consumption. Utilities and consumers
realize the benefits of energy intelligence with GridPoint`s solutions including
home energy management, load management, renewable integration, storage
management and electric vehicle management. With GridPoint`s interoperable
platform, utilities rapidly integrate and manage emerging technologies,
resulting in a practical path to developing a clean, efficient 21st century
grid. On the Net: www.gridpoint.com

GridPoint
Suzanne Lauer
703-862-3137
slauer@gridpoint.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009