Consumers are interested in DERs, but need information from their electricity providers and assistance in overcoming financial barriers

Many consumers see distributed energy resources (DERs) as viable solutions for addressing their energy-related needs, but need guidance from their electricity providers throughout the process, according to the new “Distributed Energy Resources: Meeting Consumer Needs” report from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC).

The report reveals that consumers’ top concerns and expected benefits from DERs are primarily financial. Consumers want to know upfront exactly how much money they will save by participating; 67 percent cite this need. Three-quarters (73 percent) expect saving money as a top benefit, and half (49 percent) expect incentives upfront to participate. Helping the environment is an important benefit (44 percent), yet consistently secondary to bill savings.

The survey also reveals a clear consensus among consumers about who they want to provide DER services – their electricity provider. More than two-thirds (69 percent) want them as the provider compared to less than a quarter (22 percent) who want to select a private contractor. However, those who prefer a private contractor generally still want their electricity provider to offer a vetted list of preferred contractors or ratings/reviews of contractors.

The new report can be downloaded here and is available to the media on request. A free webinar on the main findings will be held on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. (ET).