While both rooftop and community solar have grown rapidly in the U.S. in recent years, many consumers that are interested in these technologies and related programs still have a lot of questions and often find participating to be difficult. In this Peer Connect Webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. (ET), Tess O'Brien from […]

While many Americans report being interested in electric vehicles (EVs), there remain several hurdles impeding more widespread adoption, including a perceived lack of charging infrastructure. In this Peer Connect Webinar on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. (ET), featured speakers will cover consumers’ main concerns around EV charging and the role that electricity providers can […]

Distributed energy resources, or DERs, are steadily moving into the mainstream as electric utilities seek to develop a cleaner, more flexible grid and consumers increasingly see DERs as solutions for their energy-related needs and preferences. In this Research Brief Webinar on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. (ET), speakers will cover the main findings from […]

SECC published four primary research reports in 2019, including the seventh wave of the “Consumer Pulse and Market Segmentation” series and deep dives into consumer needs around rate design and distributed energy resources (DERs). In this Research Brief Webinar on Wednesday, January 22 at 1 p.m. (ET), featured speakers will discuss the five major themes […]

SECC’s 2020 Consumer Symposium: Consumers and the Future of Energy is a one-of-a-kind industry event that focuses exclusively on energy customers and their relationships with the smart grid, grid edge technologies and related utility programs & services. Through engaging, interactive sessions with industry thought leaders, Symposium attendees will gain actionable insights and tactics for developing […]

In this Peer Connect Webinar, we will focus on community-based strategies for consumer outreach and education in green utility practices related to the smart grid rollout in the Chicago area. Initial upgrades to Illinois’s aging power grid began in 2012, and part of the investment made by the Act was the creation of the Illinois […]

In this Peer Connect Webinar on Tuesday, March 24 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will hear 15-minute, case study-style presentations from winners in three of the six categories: Product Innovation, Consumer Education and Underserved Markets. ComEd will discuss the Bronzeville Community Microgrid; Austin Energy will cover their energy efficiency programs for multifamily renters; and finally, […]

In this first webinar in SECC's Spring Work-from-Home Webinar Series, SECC's President & CEO Patty Durand will cover some of the insights from a new white paper on beneficial electrification. Based on a series of interviews with industry leaders, the white paper provides an overview of the consumer risks and rewards related to beneficial electrification; […]

In the second half of the two-part webinar series on electrification, SECC's President & CEO Patty Durand will continue the exploration of the top insights from SECC's new white paper on beneficial electrification and residential energy consumers. In the second half of the webinar, Keith Dennis, Vice President - Consumer Member Engagement at National Rural […]

In the first webinar of the series on lower-income consumers, SECC's Deputy Director Nathan Shannon will set the stage with the key findings from the "Spotlight on Low-Income Consumers: Revisiting Their Needs and Wants" report. In the second half of the presentation, Wally Nixon, a legal advisor with the Arkansas Public Service Commission, will discuss […]

In the second webinar of the series on lower-income consumers, we will be joined by Carmen Carruthers, outreach manager for the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Minnesota, and Tina Koecher, manager of customer experience operations at Minnesota Power, an electric utility serving about 150,000 customers in northeastern Minnesota. The featured speakers will discuss Minnesota Power's […]

In the final webinar on lower-income consumers, Tomer Borenstein, a co-founder with BlastPoint, will discuss how electricity providers can identify and assist their customers that are the most vulnerable, especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic. For the second half of the webinar, we will be joined by Angie Ostaszewski, an energy efficiency advisor at […]

In the next section of the Spring Work-from-Home Webinar Series, we will explore whether the consumer benefits promised by smart grid investments have been realized over the past decade. During the first session, SECC’s President & CEO Patty Durand will begin with an overview of the benefits that consumers expect from the smart grid. Then, […]

In the second part of the webinar series on the consumer benefits of smart grid investments, Dan York, a policy program fellow with ACEEE, will discuss research published earlier this year that found that most utilities have vastly underused AMI to help customers save energy. Michael Murray, the president of Mission:data, will discuss the opportunities […]

As electric utilities and policymakers look for ways to address climate change, widespread electrification is likely on the horizon. While the industry is grappling with options and opportunities, it is important to understand consumer interest in electrification and the consumer benefits from transitioning from fossil fuels in space heating, transportation, cooking and water heating. In […]

Over the last few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has quickly transformed the day-to-day lives for most Americans. Many have unfortunately found themselves out of work or with reduced hours, while everyone has been spending more time at home except for frontline workers. The energy sector, too, has felt the impacts of COVID-19 in the way […]

Up-front deposits are a source of friction between consumers and utility companies, and can be a barrier to establishing service quickly and easily. Moreover, helping consumers stay current and connected is also a major challenge for utility providers. Due to COVID-19, some areas have temporarily restricted late fees and collecting from past-due customers; many utilities […]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, smart speakers have played a key role in keeping people informed and connected despite social distancing. With more Americans using smart speakers and voice apps than ever before, utilities and other stakeholders have an opportunity to use this technology to connect with customers where they are, provide updates related to the […]

In this webinar, we will look at how industry stakeholders can help consumers engage in time-of-use (TOU) rates, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, Kari Binley, a manager at ecobee, will discuss ecobee’s TOU optimization feature that was developed to help consumers save more automatically with their smart thermostats. Then, Jesse Smith, a partner with […]

Right now, utilities have a unique opportunity to connect with their customers. This webinar will take an in-depth look at the latest media and consumer behavioral trends and examine how innovative engagement strategies can make the most of them. In addition, ComEd will share insights and examples of how they’re adapting their energy efficiency program […]