Analysis of SECC’s 2019 consumer research reveals five key themes on consumers’ top energy-related needs and wants

Residential consumers in the United States and Canada are more ready than ever to engage in smart energy programs, if their most pressing needs and wants are adequately addressed by industry stakeholders, according to the latest report from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC).

Based on insights from over 7,500 survey responses in 2019, SECC’s “2020 State of the Consumer” report found that many consumers are ready to engage with renewable energy, home energy management and other smart energy programs. For example, the majority (57 percent) of consumers prefer a time-varying rate, and almost one-third (31 percent) are likely to buy a smart thermostat in the next 12 months. However, there exist major hurdles for many consumers, especially around upfront costs and a lack of clear information.

The new report synthesizes the findings from SECC's 2019 research, case studies on consumer programs and a U.S. Department of Energy report on how electricity providers are leveraging smart meters. SECC’s 2019 research included a new market segmentation report, “Consumer Pulse and Market Segmentation – Wave 7”; an in-depth look at selectively engaged consumers; and deep dives into two key topics in today’s energy industry: time-varying rates and distributed energy resources. From these inputs, SECC developed five key themes on the needs and wants of today’s energy consumers and how they can be better served by industry stakeholders.

The “2020 State of the Consumer” report can be downloaded by SECC members here and is available to the media on request. A webinar on the main findings will be held today – Wednesday, Jan. 22 – at 1 p.m. (ET).