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 […]

At this year’s Consumer Symposium, the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative announced the six winners of the 2020 Best Practices Awards. In this Peer Connect Webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will hear 15-minute, case study-style presentations from winners in three of the six categories: Culture Transformation, Consumer Engagement and SMB Engagement. […]

Online marketplaces have become increasingly common in recent years as a means to connect consumers with energy-related products, services and information. Over time, these platforms have expanded their capabilities and offerings and have proven to be an effective means for engaging residential energy consumers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Peer Connect Webinar on Tuesday, […]

The “Modern Customer Engagement Journey” research illustrates consumers’ attitudes and values related to energy, the smart home, electricity providers and more during the COVID-19 pandemic. This unique project includes five videos and a report that were developed from more than 30 on-camera interviews recorded from June 15 to July 2 in the U.S. and Canada. […]

Join SECC for the 10th Annual Members Meeting & Fall Workshop, a three-day virtual forum on the latest trends affecting energy consumers and how stakeholders can more effectively meet and exceed the expectations of today’s consumers. The Virtual Members Meeting will also cover the most pertinent areas of need for consumer research and education and […]

In this one-hour webinar on Wednesday, November 18 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will examine the top findings from the “Understanding Lower-Income Consumers and the Smart Energy Future” report, which is based on a survey of 1,000 consumers with household incomes under $50,000. The speakers will shed light on who these consumers are and how […]

In this one-hour webinar on Wednesday, December 16 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will look at several utility programs and strategies that have been featured in SECC’s case studies throughout 2020. These initiatives were selected due to the notable benefits that they have delivered to consumers. Eva Molnar will discuss SCE’s transition to time-of-use rates […]

Utilities are expanding demand response (DR) programs to increase both the scale and value created for both consumers and the utility. Collaboration is key, with technology partners helping more effectively engage consumers and manage a wider range of connected and distributed energy resources. In this webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 1 p.m. (ET), speakers […]

This webinar was originally scheduled for Thursday, February 18 at 1 p.m. (ET); however, due to the emergency situation in Texas, it will now broadcast on Thursday, February 25 at 1 p.m. (ET). We apologize for any inconvenience. While smart energy technologies are transforming the energy sector in many ways, lower-income communities, particularly People of […]

In this webinar on Tuesday, March 9 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will look at how stakeholders can assist consumers as they continue to deal with challenges related to COVID-19. First, Aimee Gendusa-English, Lead Service Liaison at Illinois CUB, will talk about recent legislation to help consumers with their energy bills during this time. Then, […]

In this Research Brief Webinar on Tuesday, March 30 at 1 p.m. (ET), featured speakers will discuss the six major themes on energy consumers’ needs and wants from the “2021 State of the Consumer” report, a meta-analysis of SECC’s 2020 research findings and case studies. Please bring questions on the needs and wants of today’s […]

SECC's virtual 2021 Consumer Symposium: Modernizing Consumer Engagement for a New Era is a one-of-a-kind event that focuses on energy customers and their relationships with the smart grid, grid edge tech and related programs & services. Through engaging sessions with industry thought leaders, Symposium attendees will gain actionable insights for developing innovative solutions to engage […]

At this year’s virtual Consumer Symposium on April 21, the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative will announce the six winners of the 2021 Best Practices Awards, which recognize customer-centric innovation and excellence from electricity providers. In this Peer Connect Webinar on Thursday, May 13 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will hear 15-minute, case study-style presentations from […]

Are adopters of smart home technologies satisfied with the devices in their home? Are they fully taking advantage of energy-saving capabilities? Why have non-adopters not pursued these devices? And what benefits and messaging would motivate them to adopt? These are a few questions that we’ll look to address in this upcoming webinar on the “Smart […]

With summertime in full swing, we will take a deep dive into recent energy efficiency programs from California’s investor-owned utilities that incentivized smart thermostat adoption among residential customers. Based on an evaluation from DNV, the presentation will look at the customer experience for program participants, how consumers used their thermostats and ultimately what savings were […]

In the second webinar in the series on summertime energy savings, we will take a look at residential programs from Entergy New Orleans and Ameren Illinois. First, we will hear how Ameren incentivized smart thermostat adoption among their customers, including delivering free smart thermostats to thousands of low-income consumers. Then, we will learn about several […]

In the final webinar in the Summertime Energy Savings series, we will hear from three utilities on alternative rate programs for residential customers. First, Consumers Energy will describe its recently launched default Time of Use program and the outreach strategies that enabled a transition focused on excellent customer experiences. Then, Con Edison and Orange & […]

In this webinar on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will explore how electricity providers can improve the customer experience around electric vehicles (EVs). First, Karl Popham at Austin Energy will discuss the utility's online EV Buyer's Guide, a first-of-its-kind, interactive consumer engagement solution to help people make the switch from gas to […]

In this webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will review the key findings from SECC's "Understanding the Needs and Wants of Renters" report, which looks at […]

Join us at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta for SECC's 2021 Members Meeting & Fall Workshop, our first in-person event in nearly two years! The day-and-a-half […]

In this webinar on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. (ET), we will explore key insights and best practices from SECC's upcoming "Understanding Renters: Serving the Needs of Small Business" […]