Energy management firm Thrive Buildings and virtual power plant operator CPower have launched a partnership to make demand response viable for life-sciences labs and cleanrooms — facilities whose strict operating requirements have historically excluded them from DR programmes. Thrive contributes "a turnkey, data-driven approach" using demand control ventilation and fault detection; CPower brings the grid-side network of microgrids and storage. Thrive cites capacity-cost rises of up to 262% year-over-year as the driver.