Southern Company and Honeywell have developed new software that allows facilities on real-time pricing (RTP) rates to make immediate energy-use adjustments and reduce their energy costs even further.

The two companies collaborated on the development of the Application Program Interface, which allows Southern Company’s EnerLink RTPMail software to communicate hourly energy prices directly to Honeywell’s EXCEL 5000 energy management system. This product enhancement permits building managers to control energy consumption automatically as the cost of energy fluctuates.

“Our collaboration with Honeywell will help commercial and industrial customers increase their energy efficiency and cut costs automatically using real-time pricing information,” said Frank Hyde, general manager of EnerLink Information Systems, a Southern Company product.

When energy prices increase at a particular time of day, the software can reduce a customer’s usage by, for example, turning off lights or adjusting the thermostat. Building managers determine ahead of time what the system should do if prices increase to certain levels.

The new software enhances the existing EnerLink application, which delivers real-time pricing information to a facility via e-mail. Without the new software, the building operator determines what to do after receiving the pricing information and then makes adjustments manually.

“This software will provide customers with an even more cost-efficient and customized RTP solution,” said Mike Murphy, director of Honeywell’s Applications and Solutions Team. “The combination of EnerLink’s software and our advanced RTP control makes this system ideal for our cost-conscious customers.”

EnerLink is the industry leader in energy-use analysis applications and RTP price delivery systems. More than 50 U.S. and Canadian utilities use EnerLink products and distribute them to their large industrial and commercial customers. EnerLink’s features include real-time pricing, energy-use analysis, rate analysis, and billing and bill auditing.

Southern Company (NYSE: SO), the largest producer of electricity in the United States, is the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power and Savannah Electric. Based in Atlanta, Southern Company supplies electricity in eight countries on four continents and provides energy-related marketing, trading and technical services and wireless telecommunications. Southern Company’s common stock is one of the 20 most widely held corporate stocks in America.

Based in Minneapolis, Honeywell is a global controls company focused on creating value through technology that enhances comfort, improves productivity, saves energy, protects the environment and increases safety. The company services customers worldwide in the homes and buildings, industrial and aviation, and space markets. Honeywell employs 57,500 people in 95 countries and had 1996 sales of $7.3 billion.