Popularising energy efficiency

In the US where Smart Grid initiatives are fast being deployed, more than half of the consumers surveyed (54%) by Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC) had never heard the term ‘smart grid!’ But many firms are looking at ways to make energy efficiency as popular as the Facebook!

According to SGCC’s 2013 “State of the Consumer Report” “Billions of dollars are being invested in new technologies that are little understood by the people who are supposed to benefit and who are paying the bills.” The good news is that people like the concept once they learn about it. Among those familiar with the term, only 13 percent perceive it in negative way, according to the SGCC survey.

Meanwhile, another survey found that two-thirds (62 percent) of those it surveyed spend less than 10 minutes per month reviewing their energy usage or bill. To put this in perspective, the average American spends 100 times longer each day on Facebook than on checking out their energy bill! Can Smart power be made as popular as the FB? Some think so.

SGCC has been at work for some time defining who we are as energy consumers. The organization has segmented the American consumer based on our attitudes, values, behaviors, motivations, lifestyles, technology know-how and other characteristics. SGCC then helps utilities tailor their marketing to each segment. Some groups respond to messages about saving money and energy, others environmental concern and global warming.

For example, those who SGCC calls “Do-it-yourself and save” types are likely to show interest in programmable thermostats that require some planning on their part. And “Easy Streets,” wealthy individuals reluctant to change their behavior, might respond to marketing materials pitching automated thermostats of the “set and forget” variety.

A new one-stop ‘residential customer engagement solution’, which is a software and services product helps utilities reduce energy use by making householders more energy aware. Others, too, are pushing the idea of centralizing home energy management. Honeywell rolled out an energy management platform this week that combines Wi-Fi thermostats and a management software with interactive, cloud-based application. Homeowners are able to view and adjust energy use from anywhere using a smartphone or computer.

Utility spending on energy efficiency will double by 2025 to about $9.5 billion per year, according to a recent study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. That means substantial energy savings – and a lot of new ideas and technology for the consumer to master.