Non-Profit Management
Wedgemere has managed several well-known national non-profit organizations. In each case, Wedgemere created and founded these organizations. It has the experience and expertise to help plan, design, and launch such organizations and/or help existing organizations with their needs and objectives.
Association for Demand Response
& Smart Grid (ADS)
Wedgemere founded the Association for Demand Response & Smart Grid (ADS) in 2004 as the Demand Response Coordinating Committee (DRCC) and continues to manage and staff the organization today. This 501 c (3) non-profit organization has a mission of increasing the knowledge base in the U.S. on demand response and smart grid and facilitating the exchange of information and expertise among demand response practitioners and policy makers. As of March 14, 2011, the DRCC has been known as the Association for Demand Response & Smart Grid (ADS). Technology companies, utilities, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and other entities are members. In November, 2015, upon ADS’ initiative, the organization merged with the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).
Microgrid Alliance (MGA)
In February 2014, Wedgemere founded the Microgrid Alliance with the aim of bringing together parties that want to accelerate the growth and development of microgrids and providing a collective voice and collective action to help make that happen. This group was founded because Wedgemere recognized that there was an evolving community of people and entities involved in microgrid debate and development. Just as has been the case in other recently emerged areas such as smart grid, demand response and storage, it is important to the growth and expansion of a new space such as microgrids to bring all parties together to collaborate, coordinate, share experiences and expertise, and provide a common voice. The Microgrid Alliance includes companies in the microgrid sector who work together in a collective way on policy and business relating to microgrids. The Microgrid Alliance was merged into the Association for Demand Response and Smart Grid (ADS) in 2014.
Demand Response
& Smart Grid Coalition (DRSG)
In 2001, Wedgemere founded the Demand Response and Smart Grid Coalition (DRSG). DRSG is the trade association for companies that provide products and services in the areas of demand response and smart grid technologies and practices. It works to educate and provide information to policymakers, utilities, the media, the financial community and stakeholders on how demand response and smart grid technologies can help modernize our electricity system and provide customers with new information and options for managing their electricity use, and provide utilities with new abilities to optimize the planning and operation of their systems. DRSG was merged into the Association of Demand Response and Smart Grid (ADS) in 2013.
National Action Plan Coalition (NAP)
In 2007, Congress directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to support the growth of demand response and smart grid by developing a National Action Plan on Demand Response (NAP). After a year and a half of development work, of which ADS was the primary stakeholder, FERC submitted its NAP to Congress in June 2010. Among its recommendations on how to implement the NAP was one that called for the formation of a coalition of non-governmental parties to undertake the type of work necessary to put the National Action Plan into action. Wedgemere, through the Association for Demand Response & Smart Grid, took the lead in 2010 to form a coalition that could accomplish that task. It reached out to other organizations with a stake in demand response and smart grid and asked them to form a “Coalition of Coalitions” to help implement the National Action Plan.