Direct Energy Partners with Nest to Bring Energy Savings Offers to Customers in North America

Leading electric service provider and thermostat innovator deliver home energy management solutions in key U.S., Canadian restructured markets

HOUSTON, May 15, 2014 /CNW/ - Direct Energy, one of North America's largest energy and energy-related services providers, today announced that it has teamed up with Nest, the company that created the Nest Learning Thermostat™, to offer tens of millions of electricity customers an innovative and convenient solution for managing home and small business energy usage. Direct Energy plans to make available an offer that includes the Nest Learning Thermostat, giving customers the opportunity to save on energy costs and reduce energy use in time for the hot summer months.

The partnership represents a substantial commitment by Direct Energy to bring Nest's Learning Thermostat to its key markets in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, New England, and Canada. More details about the offer will be available by June 1.

"We're focused on giving customers across Canada and the U.S. greater convenience, control and empowerment in managing energy use in their homes and small businesses, along with competitive low rates," said Direct Energy president and CEO Badar Khan. "The Nest Learning Thermostat is an innovative product that helps Direct Energy deliver not just electricity, but a real boost in household and small business management power."

"Small changes in Nest's settings – made automatically or with fingertip control via a mobile app – can make a big difference in energy use and costs," said Manu Asthana, president, Direct Energy Residential. "This partnership with Nest allows us to bring to bear the resources of not only our residential business, but also our commercial and home services businesses to ensure that our customers are receiving the full benefits of the Nest Learning Thermostat."

The Nest Learning Thermostat automatically adjusts temperature settings based on learning customers' energy use patterns and eliminates programming hassles by creating a personalized temperature schedule. With heating and cooling accounting for approximately 50 percent of the average household energy bill, Nest can make a noticeable difference by helping reduce energy consumption. Since its launch in October 2011, Nest has earned rave reviews and awards and helped people across the U.S., Canada and U.K. save energy.

"In partnership with energy providers, the Nest Learning Thermostat, along with Nest energy services, has saved an incredible amount of energy," said Ben Bixby, general manager, Nest Energy Services. "Following our successful partnership with Direct Energy in Alberta, Canada, we are excited to expand the relationship and bring our energy-savings solution to even more people across North America."

In some markets, Direct Energy will also offer customers other incentives for the Nest Learning Thermostat, as well Nest's Rush Hour Rewards™ and Seasonal Savings™ services. Rush Hour Rewards helps people earn money or credits from their energy provider by using less energy when everyone else is using more. With Seasonal Savings, a Nest Learning Thermostat uses its knowledge of a customer's schedule and preferences to make gradual temperature adjustments to help save energy. Both services are powered by Nest's proprietary Auto-Tune™ technology and offered only through Nest's energy partners.

In February, Direct Energy announced a partnership to offer the Nest Learning Thermostat to customers in Alberta who sign up for the 5-Year Comfort and Control Dual Fuel plan. This industry-leading offer lets customers pay a flexible natural gas price with the security of a winter cap and an electricity price that is fixed for the five-year term of the contract.

For more information, visit www.directenergy.com.

Direct Energy
Direct Energy is one of North America's largest energy and energy-related services providers with six million residential and commercial customer relationships. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE:CNA), one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 46 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 10 provinces in Canada.

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SOURCE: Direct Energy

Micah Hirschfield, Direct Energy, 713-877-3805 office, 281-908-6597 mobile, [email protected], or Jessica Michan, Direct Energy, 713-904-7488 office, 714-805-7306 mobile, [email protected]

http://www.directenergy.com

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