Strategic Programs and Pilots

The Strategic Programs & Pilots (SP&P) group aims to pilot and explore technologies and interventions that reduce demand during key times to benefit both ComEd and its customers. As one of the nation’s largest initiatives of its kind, ComEd Customer Innovation offers an ideal testing ground in a service area comprised of four seasons and a diverse urban and rural population. Review our focus areas, scoring criteria and submission guidelines to see how to develop your idea or pre-proposal.

SP&P’s goals in 2026 are to:

1. Explore and test technologies and interventions that support peak load reduction and/or bill savings for all ComEd customers.
2. Pursue broader demand management and grid flexibility opportunities to support ComEd’s demand reduction goals in 2026 and future years.

Focus Areas

Load Flexibility

Load Flexibility

Ideas that leverage customer assets or behavior to support peak load reduction (PLR) or enable better identification of these assets and opportunities.

Virtual Power Plant (VPP)

VPP

Ideas that leverage customer assets to not only shift load, but also discharge additional load onto the grid in times of high demand.

Enabling Infrastructure

Enabling Infrastructure

Ideas that aim to integrate front of the meter and back of the meter technologies and customer facing programs.

Rates and Pricing

Rates and Pricing

Ideas that utilize rates and pricing mechanisms to motivate shifts in when customers use energy.

Scoring Criteria

High-level scoring criteria for all idea and pre-proposal submissions are provided below. Please align your submission with these guidelines to maximize its chance of being selected and funded. Note that if your idea or pre-proposal is selected to advance to the full proposal stage, we will provide the full proposal scoring rubric at that time.


Quality of Idea/Pre-Proposal. A high-quality submission will clearly:

  • Define the project scope and expected outcomes, including how it will be researched, substantiated or achieved.

  • Explain how the subject technology or technology deployment tool/method are different from current technologies or technology deployment tools/methods, including why this project is different from any past and present research on the technology. The submission should provide energy, carbon or demand reduction estimates, and potential for customer bill savings, with explanations or references for calculations and data.

  • Explain how the project will be executed, including identifying critical partners, and describing a clear path for completing the project and deliverables within the estimated budget and timeframe.

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the market for the technology or technology deployment method the project will focus on, including barriers to adoption, relevant industry, size of industry in ComEd’s territory, etc. as well as feasible paths to engage the market.

  • As appropriate given the Project Type, establish a market and/or a direction for utilities to take to continue researching the technology or designing incentives for customer adoption.

Program Value. Project provides at least one of the following values to ComEd:

  • Peak load reduction (PLR) and non-wires alternatives
  • Identification of PLR assets
  • Load shifting and discharge
  • Enables grid reliability
  • Increased adoption
  • Expanded and/or enhanced customer engagement
  • Long measure life
  • Cost-effective implementation
 
Customer Value. Project provides at least one of the following values to customers:
  • Peak load reduction (MW & $/MW)
  • Energy savings (kWh)
  • Bill savings ($)
  • Carbon reduction (MMTon)
  • Home energy management
  • Qualitative customer benefits, such as health and safety

 

Portfolio Transferability. The technology or concept included in the project is likely to be well-suited for successful integration into the existing ComEd portfolio. This means the technology or concept included in the project exhibits real potential for energy savings and has enough technical and market maturity to be able to create adoption at scale in the near-to-mid-term.


Focus Area Alignment. While not a requirement, priority will be given to projects that align with the current set of focus areas (listed above).


Income Eligible and Disadvantaged Community (DAC) Benefits. While not a requirement, priority will be given to projects that provide value and benefits to these communities.

Do you have a project you’d like to propose, or a potential concept for consideration? 

Submit an Idea