EnerNOC snaps up carbon software outfit

US smart grid specialist EnerNOC stepped up its push into the burgeoning carbon-reporting software market last week with the acquisition of Boston-based developer eQuilibrium Solutions.

The company shelled out an undisclosed sum for eQuilibrium, which provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) package designed to help firms monitor, audit, and report on carbon emissions from across their operations.

EnerNOC said the company's applications would fit neatly into its expanding software portfolio and would be integrated with its existing PowerTrack suite, which analyses real-time energy use data collected from a company's smart meters.

"Our customers continue to look internally for cost-cutting strategies and energy management is an obvious choice," said Tim Healy, EnerNOC's chairman and chief executive, adding that eQuilibrium's applications would help firms identify areas where energy savings are possible, while also making it easier for them to comply with impending carbon-reporting legislation.

The company said that as well as reporting on carbon emissions and energy use, the new software would also allow firms to develop and manage energy efficiency and emission reduction projects.

EnerNOC is established as a major provider of smart grid infrastructure, specialising in demand management systems that help to reduce energy demand during peak times, but the eQuilibrium deal is the latest in a series of moves to bolster its presence in the fast-expanding carbon reporting and energy management sector.

Last month, for example, the company launched a new system that allows electrical devices such as air conditioners and industrial equipment to communicate instantly with its control centre, providing detailed information on facilities' energy use patterns.

It said that the PowerTalk system would help firms to cut overall energy use by better allocating energy when and where it is needed, while also allowing grid and facilities managers to quickly detect power outages and better manage voltage.