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Press Release - May 2001
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The New Power Company Announces Revolutionary Energy-Saving Program That Gives Consumers Remote Control of Their Thermostats Via the Internet
Reliable Controls Internet-Based Pilot Program Gives Remote Access via any Internet Enabled Device, Including PCs, Mobile Phones, and PDAs
Program Will Enable Houston Area Residents to Better Manage Energy Costs

Purchase, NY - Some 500 Houston-area households will soon be part of an energy-saving pilot program that enables consumers to control their thermostats via the Internet. The program will allow thermostats to be adjusted from almost anywhere, with any Internet-enabled device. The program will be launched this summer by The New Power Company(tm), a subsidiary of NewPower Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:NPW), and its partners in Internet Home Alliance. For the typical household, the three-month pilot could result in up to 10-15 percent utility bill savings based on personal usage and home size.

NewPower signed separate agreements with Shadowpack, a wireless application design/build firm, and Internet Home Alliance members Coactive Networks and Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE:S) to launch the pilot program, which will run from early June to the end of September -- the peak season for energy consumption. Installations will begin in early May.

NewPower Connections' remote energy management system will give customers unprecedented access to their air conditioning and heating systems from any Internet-accessible device. Energy management functionality will be provided from a number of access points, including a powerful Web interface, and Internet-enabled devices such as "smart" mobile phones and PDAs.

NewPower's energy management solution will benefit pilot participants in a number of ways. For example, a family on a vacation can use remote thermostat access to save money while away. The family's thermostat may have been set at 72 degrees - an unnecessary expense when no one is at home. The thermostat temperature can be adjusted to a more economical 80 degrees using hotel Internet access. Subsequently, the setting can be returned to 72 degrees from a Palm VII on the way home from the airport, thereby eliminating the dreaded end of vacation "hot house" syndrome.

In order to maximize the available savings, NewPower asks for the ability to remotely adjust a customer's thermostat settings a few degrees between the peak hours of noon and 5 p.m. on weekdays. This adjustment - barely noticed by most consumers -- has a tremendous effect on expensive peak energy supply. By reducing usage a small amount during periods of peak demand, customers can save additional money and help conserve energy resources. However, with NewPower, the customer always remains in control and may instantaneously override the adjustment at any time from the Web or a wireless device. 


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