Duke Energy Selects Verizon Wireless as Telecommunications Partner for Envision: Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy today announced that Verizon Wireless will provide the telecommunications network that will connect the digital meters, signs and media players that will be used in Envision: Charlotte, a first-of-its-kind, public-private collaboration to make the commercial buildings in Charlotte's urban core more energy efficient.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040414/DUKEENERGYLOGO )

Using digital energy technologies connected by Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network, Duke Energy will gather and aggregate energy usage data from about 70 participating buildings in Charlotte's 1.94 square mile I-277 inner-belt loop. The information will then be streamed to large interactive lobby-level screens provided by Cisco.

Building tenants will see the nearly real-time commercial energy consumption data for the community and suggested actions they can take to reduce their personal energy usage in the office.

"We are pleased that Verizon Wireless has joined along with Cisco in making this very important initiative possible," said Vincent Davis, Duke Energy's director of smart energy community projects. "Having near real-time energy usage information -- that's not available today with analog technology -- is the first step toward awareness and proactive human engagement to reduce the amount of energy that's wasted in commercial buildings."

"The Envision: Charlotte project is important not only because of what it provides the community but because it uses the latest 4G technology in a manner that could have only been imagined a few years ago," said Mark Bartolomeo, vice president, global enterprise sales, Verizon Wireless. "Verizon Wireless is excited to be a part of such a cutting edge project that will surely become a benchmark for others who need the high speeds, low latency and reliability of LTE network in the future. This is a real-life example of how machine-to-machine (M2M) technology is an effective way to empower people as they become stewards for energy savings."

To date, business and local government leaders controlling more than 12 million square feet of space have expressed a commitment to participate in Envision: Charlotte in an effort to reduce energy use by up to 20 percent and avoid approximately 220,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases by 2016. The organizations include:

• Bank of America, which is headquartered in Charlotte, and controls approximately 7 million square feet  
• Wells Fargo, which has its eastern bank headquarters in Charlotte, and controls approximately 3 million square feet
• The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, which controls approximately 1.4 million square feet
• Duke Energy, which is headquartered in Charlotte, and controls 1.3 million square feet

According to the 2010 census, Charlotte has a population of more than 750,000, making it the 18th largest city in the U.S. The city's high concentration of commercial office buildings also facilitates smart grid connectivity and consumer education on ways to reduce energy that is wasted in commercial buildings.

Announced by former President Bill Clinton last fall at the Clinton Global Initiative, Envision: Charlotte builds on the Charlotte region's economic development "energy capital USA" initiative that was announced by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, city and business leaders in April 2009. Today, the region is home to more than 175 energy companies, employing more than 13,000 people.

About Duke Energy

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, and serves more than 94 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, Nasdaq: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

SOURCE Duke Energy