Clean Energy – Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative https://smartenergycc.org Listen, Educate, Collaborate Tue, 06 Jun 2023 18:07:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://smartenergycc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/cropped-SECC_LinkedIn_400x400_option2-32x32.png Clean Energy – Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative https://smartenergycc.org 32 32 Renewables: Engaging Consumers in the Clean Energy Transition Report https://smartenergycc.org/renewables-engaging-consumers-in-the-clean-energy-transition-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=renewables-engaging-consumers-in-the-clean-energy-transition-report https://smartenergycc.org/renewables-engaging-consumers-in-the-clean-energy-transition-report/#comments Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:07:12 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=30864 The post Renewables: Engaging Consumers in the Clean Energy Transition Report appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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  • Full Report Members Only

Renewables: Engaging Consumers in the Clean Energy Transition Report


  • Based on an online survey of 2,000 Americans
  • What consumers know about renewable energy
  • Consumer awareness, support for clean energy targets
  • Engagement strategies for SECC’s segments
  • Clean energy messaging that resonates with consumers

Author:
Date: June 7, 2023
Topics: Clean Energy Consumer Data Consumer Engagement
Resource Type:

Download a copy of the “Renewables: Engaging Consumers in the Clean Energy Transition” report, which seeks to uncover the communications and engagement strategies needed to help consumers understand what it takes to transition to renewables (i.e., community solar, rooftop solar, wind energy and hydropower).

Based on an online survey of 2,000 Americans who are responsible for making energy-related decisions at home, the report explores consumers' familiarity and concerns with renewable energy, their awareness and support for clean energy targets, their willingness to pay more for 100-percent renewable energy and more.

The report closes with an analysis of the renewable energy messaging that resonates with consumers and an overview of the types of engagement strategies that can be effective with SECC's three "middle-ground" consumer segments, the Connected Pragmatists, Simply Sustainable and Trusting Traditionalists.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/renewables-engaging-consumers-in-the-clean-energy-transition-report/feed/ 4 2021 Consumer Symposium: Modernizing Consumer Engagement for a New Era Presentations https://smartenergycc.org/2021-consumer-symposium-modernizing-consumer-engagement-for-a-new-era-presentations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2021-consumer-symposium-modernizing-consumer-engagement-for-a-new-era-presentations Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:00:49 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=27951 The post 2021 Consumer Symposium: Modernizing Consumer Engagement for a New Era Presentations appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Presentation Materials

2021 Consumer Symposium: Modernizing Consumer Engagement for a New Era

Presentations and other materials from SECC’s virtual 2021 Consumer Symposium held on April 20-21, 2021.

Day 1

2021 State of the Consumer Report


SECC’s President & CEO Nathan Shannon, NB Power’s Customer Engagement Specialist Norma McCarthy and Barbara Leary, Principal of Barbara Leary Consulting presented results from SECC’s annual State of the Consumer research and discussed how to use these insights to effectively drive consumer engagement. Download the slides here.


View the recording

Day One Keynote: Annmarie Reynolds, Chief Customer Officer, AES


Annmarie Reynolds, Vice President, Chief Customer Officer, The AES Corporation, talked about the innovative ways to engage and serve energy consumers in 2021. Download the slides here.


View the recording

Getting Customers Back on Track: Energy Assistance Programs


Moderated by Janna Normington from Kandela, panelist discussed innovative assistance and efficiency programs to help consumers better manage their energy bills and usage. Download the slides here.


View the recording

Climate Change and Energy: What’s to Come in 2021?


Moderated by Hannah Bascom from Google, panelists discussed the potential policies to come and what to expect around decarbonization, beneficial electrification and the impacts of renewable energy goals set by energy providers and all levels of government. Download the slides here.


View the recording

Day 2

Racial Disparities in Energy Among Lower-Income Communities


Moderated by Liz Coyle from Georgia Watch, panelists shared their observations of SECC’s research into racial disparities among lower-income energy consumers and explored strategies that stakeholders can use to better serve lower-income Black and POC households. Download the slides here.


View the recording

Virtual Lightning Round


A lightning round session with the 2021 Consumer Symposium sponsors.


View the recording

Day Two Keynote: Abhay Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, Bidgely


Abhay Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, Bidgely, illustrated how no customer should be left behind in terms of access to new technologies and resources and how utilities are in a unique position to help customers understand their current impact on the environment, and then motivate, challenge and guide those customers to take the next step. Download the slides here.


View the recording

2021 Best Practices Awards


SECC recognized leadership from electricity providers in today’s increasingly customer-centric energy ecosystem by honoring best practices of electricity providers across six categories: Consumer Education, Consumer Engagement, Culture Transformation, Smart Energy Innovation, Underserved Markets and Small-and-Medium Business Engagement. Download the slides here.


View the recording

Debunking the Myths: How to Grow Consumer Adoption of Electric Vehicles


Moderated by Jenna Canseco from DNV, panelists explored advancements in electric vehicles, including reduced charging times, improved infrastructure, increased range, battery storage and greater availability of models. Panelists also discussed overcoming barriers to adoption and increasing awareness of the benefits to electrifying transportation. Download the slides here.


View the recording


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]]> 2021 National Grid Case Study https://smartenergycc.org/2021-national-grid-case-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2021-national-grid-case-study https://smartenergycc.org/2021-national-grid-case-study/#comments Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:53:11 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=27214 The post 2021 National Grid Case Study appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Case Study

National Grid


Energy utilities in the U.S. are making significant strides in educating and engaging their customers about how to better control how much energy they use, the resulting costs they incur and the benefits of shifting their consumption. The case studies collected by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative spotlight how smart meter/smart grid deployments by these utilities have engaged consumers to enable them to match the energy they use with their needs and lifestyles.


National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, serving more than 20 million customers throughout New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Today, National Grid is transforming its electricity and natural gas networks with smarter, cleaner and more resilient energy solutions to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2016, National Grid partnered with EnergySage to develop a customized solar shopping solution for residential customers in the utility’s Rhode Island service territory. The program leveraged EnergySage’s Solar Calculator to provide residential customers with an instant estimate of their homes’ specific solar potential. To date, over 12,000 consumers have sought solar quotes through the Solar Marketplace, and 367 customers have decided to install solar energy systems on their homes.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2021-national-grid-case-study/feed/ 1 Smart Grid 2.0: How the Smart Grid Benefits You https://smartenergycc.org/smart-grid-2-0-how-the-smart-grid-benefits-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=smart-grid-2-0-how-the-smart-grid-benefits-you https://smartenergycc.org/smart-grid-2-0-how-the-smart-grid-benefits-you/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2021 13:30:53 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=27015 The post Smart Grid 2.0: How the Smart Grid Benefits You appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Fact Sheet

Smart Grid 2.0: How the Smart Grid Benefits You




Over the last decade, the smart grid has helped create a new landscape for consumer engagement in energy. SECC's Smart Grid 2.0 fact sheets are designed to help consumers understand some of these changes and the benefits that they could potentially gain by participating in smart grid-enabled programs and services.

This fact sheet describes the main consumer benefits of the smart grid, including preventing outages, improving energy efficiency, lowering carbon emissions and enabling a transition to electric vehicles and clean energy resources. Examples are also provided from three electricity providers who have delivered notable consumer benefits following their smart grid deployments.

The other fact sheets in this series cover consumers’ power pricing options and the emergence of consumer energy data.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/smart-grid-2-0-how-the-smart-grid-benefits-you/feed/ 1 Understanding Lower-Income Consumers and the Smart Energy Future Report https://smartenergycc.org/understanding-lower-income-consumers-and-the-smart-energy-future-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=understanding-lower-income-consumers-and-the-smart-energy-future-report https://smartenergycc.org/understanding-lower-income-consumers-and-the-smart-energy-future-report/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2020 13:00:28 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=26770 The post Understanding Lower-Income Consumers and the Smart Energy Future Report appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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  • Full Report Members Only

Understanding Lower-Income Consumers and the Smart Energy Future Report


  • A national survey of 1,000 lower-income consumers
  • Lower-income consumers’ behaviors and attitudes around energy
  • The financial obstacles to engaging in energy efficiency
  • Insights related to the impact of COVID-19 on these consumers
  • Actionable recommendations for industry stakeholders

Author:
Date: November 17, 2020
Topics: Clean Energy Consumer Engagement COVID-19 Low Income Consumers
Resource Type:

Download a copy of the “Understanding Lower-Income Consumers and the Smart Energy Future” report, which sheds light on lower-income consumers’ behaviors, attitudes and values as they relate to energy efficiency, smart home technology, renewable energy, their electricity providers and climate change.

The report was developed from an online national survey administered to 1,000 consumers across the United States in August and September 2020. This research defined lower-income consumers as those earning less than $50,000 annually. Further analysis delineated consumers earning less than $25,000 as low-income consumers and those earning over $25,000 as moderate-income consumers.

The report found that lower-income consumers’ values largely align with those of higher-income Americans. Saving money is their primary driver of energy decision-making – a finding consistent with SECC’s past research. Lower-income consumers also expressed considerable concern for the environment and support for investments in clean energy: eighty-one percent value these two priorities.

As part of this research, we also developed an infographic on the four personas of lower-income consumers that you can access here. Also, view the research briefing webinar here. This is the second publication in SECC’s series addressing the needs and wants of lower-income consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first white paper analyzed low-income programs from a variety of electricity providers, and the final white paper focuses on racial disparities in the lower-income consumer data set.

Recommended Resources


The post Understanding Lower-Income Consumers and the Smart Energy Future Report appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

]]> https://smartenergycc.org/understanding-lower-income-consumers-and-the-smart-energy-future-report/feed/ 1 2020 Members Meeting & Fall Workshop Presentations https://smartenergycc.org/2020-members-meeting-fall-workshop-presentations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2020-members-meeting-fall-workshop-presentations Wed, 21 Oct 2020 12:30:03 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=26659 The post 2020 Members Meeting & Fall Workshop Presentations appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Presentation Materials

2020 Members Meeting & Fall Workshop

Presentations and other materials from SECC’s 2020 Virtual Members Meeting & Fall Workshop held on October 20-22, 2020

Day 1

Keynote: David Mills, Chief Strategy Officer, Puget Sound Energy


David Mills presented Puget Sound Energy’s journey toward building customer engagement strategies.


View the recording

Beneficial Electrification: Meeting Consumers’ Expectations


Panelists discussed key findings from SECC's Beneficial Electrification: The Voice of the Consumer report, including consumers’ concerns around electrification and how to understand the difference between beneficial electrification versus electrify everything. Panelists also discussed the climate change-related messages that resonate best with consumers. You can view the Beneficial Electrification League's "What is BE?" animated video here. View the panel recording here.


Download the slides

Day 2

The New Customer Engagement Journey: Finding a New Normal


Panelists discussed modern residential energy consumers, their values and interests, and how they navigate the many options available to them today. Panelists also explored innovative programs to address consumer expectations around their energy usage and ideas for assisting consumers struggling to pay their bills. View the panel recording here.


Download the slides

Day 3

Smart Energy and Lower-Income Consumers: No One Left Behind


Panelists explored the impact of the digital divide on customer engagement in the energy industry and the energy burden of lower-income consumers. Panelists also discussed opportunities for stakeholders to take advantage of digital platforms and data to provide sustainable solutions for addressing energy poverty. View the panel recording here.


Download the slides

Keynote: Matt Silverman, Senior Partner, Brand and Communications Strategy, ICF Next


In a session led by Matt Silverman, Senior Partner at ICF Next, who helps regulated organizations and other Fortune 500 companies manage their brands in today’s complex word, he explored key lessons we can learn from other industries navigating 2020 like how successful companies engage with customers in times of turbulence, who customers and employees really trust these days, how organizations invest in and maintain their reputation in a turbulent world and how we navigate the “new normal”. View the recording here.


Download the slides

Engaging Consumers in Utility Decarbonization Goals


In this session, utilities discussed their plans for decarbonization and how they are getting consumers involved in developing a cleaner grid. Panelists also discussed strategies for helping the most vulnerable customer segments during this transition.


View the recording


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]]> Energy 101 Videos https://smartenergycc.org/energy-101-videos/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=energy-101-videos Fri, 02 Oct 2020 20:23:28 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=26597 The post Energy 101 Videos appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Videos

Energy 101



Watch SECC’s Energy 101 videos, a series of one-minute educational videos designed to help consumers understand basic, yet important concepts related to energy today. These three videos focus on the importance of energy efficiency, the impact of weather on energy bills and the consumer benefits of beneficial electrification.

SECC members also have access to a set of social media banners (sized for Facebook and Twitter) to use when sharing the resources online. For access to these social media resources or for other communications needs, members are invited to contact SECC’s Communications Manager Jonathan Field.

Recommended Resources


The post Energy 101 Videos appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

]]> 2020 Best Practices Awards, Part II Webinar https://smartenergycc.org/2020-best-practices-awards-part-ii-webinar/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2020-best-practices-awards-part-ii-webinar Wed, 09 Sep 2020 18:45:56 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=26433 The post 2020 Best Practices Awards, Part II Webinar appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Webinar

2020 Best Practices Awards, Part II



Replay the webinar
2020 Best Practices Awards, Part II



A presentation from winners of SECC's 2020 Best Practices Awards in three of the six categories: Consumer Engagement, Culture Transformation and SMB Engagement. CPS Energy discussed the People First organizational philosophy. National Grid talked about its online solar marketplace powered by EnergySage, and Pepco/Delmarva Power reviewed the Small Business Energy Savings Program.

Recommended Resources


The post 2020 Best Practices Awards, Part II Webinar appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

]]> Beneficial Electrification: The Voice of the Consumer Report https://smartenergycc.org/beneficial-electrification-the-voice-of-the-consumer-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beneficial-electrification-the-voice-of-the-consumer-report https://smartenergycc.org/beneficial-electrification-the-voice-of-the-consumer-report/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2020 12:30:42 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=25856 The post Beneficial Electrification: The Voice of the Consumer Report appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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  • Full Report Members Only

Beneficial Electrification: The Voice of the Consumer Report


  • Consumer interest in residential and transportation electrification
  • Nationally representative survey of 1,200 residential consumers
  • Barriers to electrification and underlying motivations
  • Insights on support for electric transportation infrastructure
  • Key takeaways and real-world applications for stakeholders

Author:
Date: June 9, 2020
Topics: Beneficial Electrification Clean Energy Consumer Data Consumer Engagement Energy Efficiency
Resource Type:

Download a copy of the “Beneficial Electrification: The Voice of the Consumer” study, which provides insights on how consumers think about beneficial electrification and climate change.

As electricity generation in the U.S. becomes increasingly cleaner, electrification is gaining momentum as a strategy to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change. This study reached a nationally representative sample of 1,200 Americans to gauge interest in switching to electricity, determine barriers that might exist and uncover underlying motivations for switching.

The study found considerable interest in switching to electricity for both residential use and for transportation. Over two-thirds (68 percent) of Americans believe it is important for their electric utilities to invest in electric vehicle charging stations, and 70 percent are open to electric water heating. To access the “Beneficial Electrification: Industry Views on Consumer Needs” white paper, which is based on a literature review and 11 interviews with industry stakeholders, click here. Also, view the research briefing webinar here.

Recommended Resources


The post Beneficial Electrification: The Voice of the Consumer Report appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

]]> https://smartenergycc.org/beneficial-electrification-the-voice-of-the-consumer-report/feed/ 1 Consumer and Installer Mindset in the Age of COVID-19 https://smartenergycc.org/consumer-and-installer-mindset-in-the-age-of-covid-19/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=consumer-and-installer-mindset-in-the-age-of-covid-19 Sun, 31 May 2020 12:00:34 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=26011 The post Consumer and Installer Mindset in the Age of COVID-19 appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Report

Consumer and Installer Mindset in the Age of COVID-19


This report covers findings from two separate surveys fielded by EnergySage to gauge how the residential solar industry is responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The first survey provides insights into how residential consumer interest in solar is changing as a result of the virus, while the second survey looks at how EnergySage’s solar installer network is reacting to the impact of COVID-19 on their business.

For the consumer survey, EnergySage worked with Qualtrics to reach 509 respondents nationwide. The survey focused on homeowners over 18 who said they were actively looking to install solar prior to the COVID situation and ran from March 30 through April 14. Responses to the survey came from 41 states, with the majority of the responses coming from six major solar states: California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

Recommended Resources


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