Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative examines what’s working in the customer-centric energy transition

The Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) today announced release of a new white paper, “Optimizing Consumer Engagement,” that highlights successful customer programs and services from electricity providers across the United States and Canada.

The new white paper is based on the five key themes on energy consumers’ needs and wants found in SECC’s “2019 State of the Consumer” report, a meta-analysis of 2018 consumer research aimed at providing a big-picture overview of today’s energy consumers. The five themes indicated in the report are:

1. Return-on-investment information helps consumers understand programs and drives participation.
2. The time is now for technology-based solutions like those offered in other industries.
3. The already engaged consumers are ready for the next step.
4. Upfront costs are a hurdle for many consumers — not only those with lower incomes.
5. Consumers will enroll and participate if it’s easy and convenient for them to do so.

For each of these five themes, the new white paper provides context for why it’s important in today’s energy industry and multiple examples of programs and services from electricity providers that illustrate the theme. The electricity providers covered in the paper include investor-owned utilities, retail energy providers and municipal utilities, including NB Power, Con Edison, Reliant, Entergy, Colorado Springs Utilities, Austin Energy and more.

Highlighted programs include a low-income LED lighting program, a residential solar education program, a community-based energy assistance campaign, an online marketplace for energy-efficient products and a residential rate plan with a smart thermostat and smart home hub included.

The new “Optimizing Consumer Engagement” paper is available for download for both SECC members and non-members here, and an on-demand webinar presentation covering the themes and examples contained in the paper can be streamed here.