The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →On August 5, 2010, TXU Energy announced a multiyear agreement with Comverge to target installation of 100,000 smart energy-efficiency devices in Texas homes and businesses by 2012. The headline was often shortened to “100,000 thermostats,” but the announcement described a broader device program, and the figure was a deployment target—not proof that 100,000 thermostats had already been installed.
The iThermostat program combined communicating thermostats, broadband connectivity, web controls and Comverge’s demand-response software. It was designed both to help customers manage heating and cooling and to give TXU a controllable source of peak-demand reduction.
What TXU and Comverge announced
TXU’s August 2010 announcement expanded its iThermostat and related energy-management offering through an exclusive, multiyear purchase, installation and service agreement with Comverge. The stated goal was 100,000 smart energy-efficiency devices across Texas’s competitive retail electricity market by 2012, covering residential and commercial customers. The contemporary announcement and trade coverage are available from Renewable Energy World and TD World.
Contemporary reporting put the initial commitment at approximately $30 million for devices, software and service. In November 2010, Comverge described an expanded, renewable two-year agreement worth $33 million and said the program would support more than 100,000 residential and commercial energy-management devices through 2012. The later figure most plausibly reflects an expanded or amended arrangement rather than a simple correction of the first report.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems#1 Best Overall
- ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat for home that helps you save energy and stay comfortable.Connectivity : Wi-Fi - 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz, 802.11a/n 5 GHz Wi-Fi., Wireless interconnect : Bluetooth Low Energy Please refer to the product description section below for all applicable legal disclaimers.Product note: You can also check your system’s compatibility before purchasing a Nest thermostat with our online Nest Compatibility Checker on the Google Nest support page
- The Nest Thermostat is designed to work without a C wire in most homes, but for some systems, including heating only, cooling only, zone controlled, and heat pump systems, you’ll need a C wire or other compatible power accessory
- Nest Thermostat turns itself down when you leave, so you don’t waste energy heating or cooling an empty home. Lock feature: No
- Programmable thermostat that lets you create an energy efficient schedule in the Google Home app on your Android or iPhone
- Remote control lets family members change the thermostat temperature from anywhere on a phone, laptop, or tablet[1]
How the iThermostat system worked
Customer controls
Reports at the time said customers could create temperature schedules, change settings through a website and adjust the thermostat while away from home. That made it possible to reduce air-conditioning use in an unoccupied house or prepare a building for a changed schedule.
Communications and software
The system was more than a wall thermostat. Descriptions identify a communicating thermostat linked over a low-power Zigbee home-area network to a broadband-connected gateway. Comverge’s IntelliSOURCE demand-response management system supplied the management layer, while Comverge also provided installation, customer support and program operations. The technical architecture is described by Greentech Media; the underlying Internet-based load-management, Zigbee and service arrangements appear in the SEC-filed TXU–Comverge agreement.
Demand response
With participating customers’ permission under the program rules, TXU could use connected thermostats as a distributed demand-response resource. During high-use periods, coordinated temperature adjustments could reduce air-conditioning demand without requiring a separate control device at every property.
Why a retailer would promote lower electricity use
TXU’s incentive was strategic as well as environmental. A connected thermostat could differentiate its retail electricity service, support customer acquisition and retention, and create an ongoing energy-services relationship. A large group of controllable air-conditioning loads could also reduce exposure to expensive peaks and provide a flexible alternative to serving every extreme-demand event with additional power or grid capacity.
TXU also said it had committed $100 million over five years to demand-side management and energy-efficiency products and services at the time. That was a period-specific investment commitment, not a current spending figure. The company’s stated rationale is summarized in the 2010 announcement coverage.
Rank #2
- An Alexa thermostat - Amazon Smart Thermostat is an easy way to switch from a traditional thermostats for homes and help reduce energy usage.
- Create comfort zones throughout your home by connecting to select Alexa devices to automatically adjust heating and cooling based on temperature readings or presence detection.
- Save money and energy - After purchase, Amazon will send you an email with details about home thermostat rebates that may be available from energy providers in your area.
- Save energy - According to EPA estimates, ENERGY STAR certified thermostats save an average of $90 on yearly energy bills.
- Programmable thermostat and automatic control - Create your own home, away and sleep schedules, or have Alexa automatically control the temperature with Alexa+ advanced features.
What customers paid and what savings meant
The Dallas Morning News reported two customer options:
- Purchase: $75 for the thermostat.
- Rental: $5.99 per month with a two-year contract.
- Eligibility: Customers had to buy electricity from TXU under the reported terms.
At $5.99 for 24 months, the rental payments total $143.76 before taxes, fees, installation charges or other contract terms. That is a calculation from the reported monthly price, not a separate quoted historical total.
TXU said participating customers reduced bills by about 10% on average. The figure was a company-reported average, not an independently verified controlled study or a guarantee. Results would vary with home size, insulation, HVAC efficiency, weather, electricity rates, existing temperature habits, willingness to accept automated adjustments and the cost of the equipment and service. A customer who already used conservative settings could save less than one who routinely cooled an empty home.
Recommended Free Tools
Smart thermostat versus utility smart meter
The iThermostat was not a replacement for a utility advanced meter. The Dallas Morning News reported that the system used a wireless Internet connection and did not require an Oncor or other regulated-utility smart meter.
| Feature | TXU/Comverge thermostat system | Utility smart meter |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Control HVAC operation and manage temperature | Measure electricity use and communicate meter data |
| Customer interaction | Web-based temperature scheduling and remote adjustment | Usage-data access through utility systems, where offered |
| Whole-home usage measurement | Not equivalent to a smart meter | Core function, often with interval data |
| Installation dependency | Reportedly did not require a utility smart-meter installation | Requires deployment of the utility’s advanced-metering infrastructure |
| Grid role | Flexible HVAC load and demand response | Metering, billing data and broader grid visibility |
The thermostat could control a major electric load, but it did not automatically provide the comprehensive interval consumption record associated with advanced metering infrastructure.
Rank #3
- Save up to 23% every year on heating and cooling costs, adjusts to your set schedule to save energy when you’re gone and optimize comfort when you’re home. Compared to a hold of 72
- Compatible with 85% of systems, check your system’s compatibility with our online ecobee Compatibility Checker on the ecobee support page
- Change your temperature by easily tapping the color touchscreen or using the ecobee app. Plus, free software upgrades ensure you get the best out of your Smart Thermostat Essential, for years to come
- Automatically adjusts to your set schedule to save energy when you’re gone and optimize comfort when you’re home. Keep track of your energy consumption when you're on the go on the ecobee app
- Easy DIY install. No C Wire, no problem. Get the ecobee Power Extender Kit (PEK) for homes without a C-Wire and keep your walls looking nice with our trim kit – both sold separately
What Comverge supplied
Comverge’s role included hardware, installation, software, customer service and demand-response management—not simply thermostat sales. The November financial-results release specifically identified the IntelliSOURCE Demand Response Management System and a program involving more than 100,000 residential and commercial energy-management devices: Comverge’s release.
The SEC-filed agreement also addresses customer service, privacy, confidentiality, information security and complaint handling. Those provisions show that operating a connected-load program required governance around customer data and remote control as well as physical installation.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Was the 100,000-device target reached?
The evidence supports three different statements, which should not be collapsed into one:
- TXU announced a target of 100,000 smart energy-efficiency devices by 2012.
- Comverge later described an expanded program involving more than 100,000 residential and commercial devices.
- The available sources do not provide a definitive, audited final installation count showing exactly how many TXU devices were operating at the end of 2012.
Therefore, “TXU installed 100,000 thermostats” is too definite. The accurate wording is that TXU targeted 100,000 devices and that Comverge later described a program exceeding that number. The target also covered devices beyond residential thermostats.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Customer and program trade-offs
Potential benefits
- Remote temperature control and automated schedules.
- Possible consumption and bill reductions, especially where air conditioning was used in empty spaces.
- Peak-demand relief without waiting for a utility smart-meter installation.
- A managed energy service for customers who wanted automation rather than manual thermostat changes.
Limitations
- The rental option created a two-year commitment.
- Savings were not guaranteed and could be outweighed by equipment or service costs.
- Customers had to remain TXU electricity customers under the reported offer.
- A thermostat cannot correct poor insulation, inefficient HVAC equipment or high electricity rates.
- Internet or gateway outages could interrupt remote access.
- HVAC wiring and wireless-network compatibility could complicate installation.
- Customers could override automated settings, reducing demand-response performance.
- Remote control introduced privacy, cybersecurity and loss-of-control concerns.
Reliability context from 2010
Greentech Media reported that Comverge had recalled approximately 5,000 thermostats earlier in 2010 because of a fire risk and that later deployments included Carrier-branded ComfortChoice Touch thermostats supplied by United Technologies Electronic Controls. That history is relevant context, but it does not establish that the TXU expansion’s entire 100,000-device target was recalled, halted or caused by the earlier issue.
Rank #4
- EASY DIY INSTALLATION: Do it yourself fast with a built-in level and simple step-by-step instructions. Works with the HVAC equipment found in most homes
- COMMON WIRE REQUIREMENTS: Common wire(C-Wire) required for heat pump and heat/cool only systems. C-wire not required on most systems
- SAVE ABOUT 23% ON HVAC ENERGY: ENERGY STAR-certified and packed with features that help you save money, including flexible scheduling, geofencing, remote access and usage reports
- PRIVACY PROTECTION: Sensi won’t sell your personal information to third parties or leverage your thermostat activity data for targeting or advertising purposes
- CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE: The top-rated mobile app for Android and iOS devices makes it easy to control your comfort from a smartphone or tablet
What the deal meant for Texas electricity customers
The partnership was an early large-scale attempt to treat residential thermostats as both customer-service equipment and grid resources. It linked a retail electricity provider, a software-and-services company and thousands of flexible air-conditioning loads at a time when Texas was also building out utility smart meters.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Its lasting significance is the business model: the value was not confined to a $75 thermostat. TXU was buying a managed demand-response capability, a customer-retention tool and an energy-efficiency offering. The historical record, however, supports a target and later progress description—not a clean final installation total or an independently verified 10% bill reduction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did TXU install exactly 100,000 thermostats by 2012?
No definitive final count is established in the available sources. TXU announced a target of 100,000 devices, while Comverge later described an expanded program involving more than 100,000 residential and commercial devices.
Did the iThermostat require a Texas utility smart meter?
No. Contemporary reporting said the system used a broadband connection and did not require an Oncor or other regulated-utility smart meter.
Was the 10% savings figure guaranteed?
No. TXU reported an average reduction of about 10%; actual results depended on the property, HVAC system, weather, rates, customer behavior and program participation.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
