A New Power Pairing

Cummins Inc. and NRG Energy Inc., the Princeton, N.J., integrated power supplier serving residential and commercial businesses, have announced a strategic partnership that will aim to deploy a resilient, cleaner and cost-effective distributed energy platform for commercial and industrial customers. The platform, with a preliminary estimated hundreds of megawatts capacity, is designed to enhance a customer’s energy usage through Cummins-powered generators and NRG distributed energy resource capabilities.

“Cummins and NRG have a shared vision to use new technologies, like this platform, to provide customers with reliable power and help navigate the increasingly complex energy market,” said Robert Gaudette, president of NRG Business Solutions. “This is just one example of how we can continue to optimize new and existing energy technologies so customers can use less, and pay less, for electricity.

“The power producer of tomorrow will do more than just move electrons; it will direct them where needed most – with measurable benefits for the customer, the grid and the environment.”

The companies see the solution potentially saving customers up to 15% over their current energy costs, often at no enrollment expense. Beyond giving customers more control over their energy future, the platform is intended to significantly reduce environmental impact and grid stress. The platform architecture allows for more capacity to meet expanding market needs, the companies said.

While the formal partnership is new, Cummins and NRG have implemented distributed energy models for several customers over recent years and are now ready to bring their solution to more customers throughout the northeast United States.

“Reliable power remains critical in the overall distributed energy equation, and this model leverages Cummins’ expertise in making power generation equipment for the most harsh and demanding of operating conditions,” said Norbert Nusterer, president – Power Systems Business, Cummins Inc. “Having deployed several hundred megawatts and delivered strong economic returns and reliability to customers, this partnership is intended to expand on the experience we have gained.

“Our partnership with NRG brings together nearly 125 years of energy leadership to give more customers new ways to achieve their goals in environmental stewardship and cost and risk reduction.”

Cummins and NRG will form a joint development team to pursue solution sales, and market and maintain energy assets to guarantee outcomes for end-use customers.