Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative

SMART ENERGY CONSUMER COLLABORATIVE CONTINUED TO ADVANCE THE GROUNDWORK FOR PARTNERSHIP AND SET THE STAGE FOR A CONSUMER-SAFE, CONSUMER-FRIENDLY AND CONSUMER-APPROVED MODERN ELECTRIC GRID IN THE U.S. BY FOLLOWING A THREEFOLD AGENDA OF LISTENING TO CONSUMERS VIA PRIMARY CONSUMER RESEARCH, EDUCATING CONSUMERS AND STAKEHOLDERS VIA IN-HOUSE INFORMATION MEDIUMS AND COLLABORATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS VIA IN-PERSON EVENTS AND OUTREACH. ULTIMATELY, SECC'S VISION IS THAT CONSUMERS HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BENEFITS OF SMART ENERGY.

RESEARCH:IN 2022, SECC RELEASED FOUR PIECES OF RESEARCH AND TWO COMPANION WHITE PAPERS SEEKING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND SMART ENERGY CONSUMERS THEIR PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES AND NEEDS AND THEN LEVERAGE THIS UNDERSTANDING TO FORMULATE ACTIONS THAT UTILITIES AND OTHER ENERGY SERVICE PROVIDERS CAN TAKE TO BETTER SERVE AND ENGAGE WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS. IN ADDITION, SECC PRODUCED FIVE CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT CASE STUDIES THAT PROFILED HOW ENERGY UTILITIES IN THE U.S. ARE MAKING SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN EDUCATING AND ENGAGING THEIR CUSTOMERS ABOUT HOW TO BETTER CONTROL THEIR ENERGY USE, THE RESULTING UTILITY COSTS AND THE BENEFITS OF SHIFTING THEIR CONSUMPTION. ALL OF THESE RESOURCES WERE PUT TOGETHER BY A VOLUNTEER-BASED RESEARCH COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF MEMBERS WHO HELPED SHAPE SECC'S RESEARCH AGENDA, REVIEWED DETAILED FINDINGS AND DISCUSSED THE IMPLICATIONS AND PRESENTATION OF THOSE FINDINGS.SECC RELEASED THE MOST CURRENT VERSION OF ITS ANNUAL 2022 STATE OF THE CONSUMER REPORT, A META-ANALYSIS OF SECC'S 2021 RESEARCH AGENDA THAT PROVIDES SIX BIG-PICTURE THEMES ON THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF TODAY'S ENERGY CONSUMERS. THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THAT TODAY'S CONSUMERS ARE READY TO TAKE ACTION TO MEET DECARBONIZATION GOALS. HOWEVER, MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED TO HELP ALL CONSUMERS GAIN EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CLEAN ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES. THE 2022 STATE OF THE CONSUMER REPORT IS DESIGNED TO HELP INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING UTILITIES, CONSUMER ADVOCATES, SOLUTION PROVIDERS AND REGULATORS BETTER UNDERSTAND TODAY'S CONSUMERS AND DEVELOP PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT MEET THEIR NEEDS MORE EFFECTIVELY.SECC RELEASED ITS ELECTRIC VEHICLES: DRIVING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE REPORT PROVIDED INSIGHTS INTO CONSUMERS' KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS) AS WELL AS THE EXPERIENCES OF CURRENT EV DRIVERS. THE REPORT WAS BASED ON AN ONLINE SURVEY THAT WAS ADMINISTERED TO 1,000 RESIDENTIAL CONSUMERS IN THE UNITED STATES IN NOVEMBER 2021. THE SAMPLE WAS BOOSTED WITH AN ADDITIONAL 750 RESPONDENTS WHO CURRENTLY OWN AN EV. THE RESEARCH EXPLORED OWNERS' SATISFACTION WITH THEIR EVS, CONSUMERS' TOP CONCERNS AROUND EVS, FREQUENCY AND TIMES OF CHARGING AMONG OWNERS, THE TOP SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON EVS, INTEREST IN SMART HOME DEVICES AND MORE.SECC RELEASED ITS CONSUMER PULSE AND MARKET SEGMENTATION WAVE 8 REPORT WHICH PROVIDED A COMPLETELY REFRESHED CONSUMER SEGMENTATION FRAMEWORK BASED ON CONSUMERS' ATTITUDES AROUND TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRICITY. THIS RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED FROM APRIL TO JUNE 2022 AND INCLUDED FIVE 30-MINUTE INTERVIEWS TO BEGIN TO UNPACK CONSUMER OPINIONS ON KEY ENERGY TOPICS. THESE CONVERSATIONS WERE FOLLOWED BY A 20-MINUTE ONLINE SURVEY OF 2,500 CONSUMERS (WEIGHTED TO CENSUS DATA FOR AGE, GENDER, REGION AND INCOME). WITH THE NEW CONSUMER SEGMENTATION, DIFFERENTIATION RELIES HEAVILY ON TWO PRIMARY FACTORS: THE INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER'S CORE INTEREST IN THEIR ELECTRICITY USAGE (AND HOW THEIR USAGE AFFECTS THE GRID) AND THEIR COMFORT WITH AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY.SECC RELEASED ITS ELECTRIC BILLS AND RATE PLANS: CONSUMER AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING REPORT WHICH PROVIDED A DETAILED LOOK AT WHAT TODAY'S CONSUMERS KNOW, THINK AND FEEL ABOUT THEIR MONTHLY ELECTRIC BILLS AND THEIR ELECTRIC RATE PLAN OPTIONS. BASED ON A SURVEY OF 2,013 AMERICANS, THE REPORT INVESTIGATED ATTITUDES TOWARD ELECTRIC BILLS, COMPREHENSION OF THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT BILLS, UNDERSTANDING OF COMMON RATE OPTIONS, PREFERRED ATTRIBUTES IN A RATE PLAN, INTEREST IN PREPAID BILLING AND GREEN RATES, AND MUCH MORE.FINALLY, SECC RELEASED TWO NEW CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT SUCCESS STORIES COVERING AVANGRID AND MCE. EACH CASE STUDY SPOTLIGHTS THEIR PILOT PROGRAMS FROM RESIDENTIAL EV CHARGING AND EXPLORES CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS TO REDUCE THE ENERGY BURDEN AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS IN INCOME-QUALIFIED MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES. THEY HIGHLIGHTED PILOTS THAT SOUGHT TO ENSURE THAT EVS ARE CHARGED WITHIN THE TIMEFRAMES SPECIFIED BY THE RESIDENTIAL EV OWNERS TO PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY AIMED TO INCENTIVIZE SWITCHING GAS AND PROPANE HEATING EQUIPMENT TO HIGH-EFFICIENCY ELECTRIC HEAT PUMPS TO HELP DECARBONIZE SPACE AND WATER HEATING LOADS.

EDUCATION:IN 2022, SECC CONTINUED TO PRODUCE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND INCREASE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH A VOLUNTEER-BASED EDUCATION AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE, MEMBERS WORKED TOGETHER TO IMPROVE CONSUMER AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF MODERNIZED ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS BY RECOGNIZING SMART ENERGY SUCCESS, EXPANDING AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO STAKEHOLDERS AND AMPLIFYING THE SMART ENERGY BENEFITS MESSAGE TO CONSUMERS NATIONWIDE.SECC CONTINUED A BEST PRACTICES AWARDS PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIED LEADERSHIP FROM ENERGY PROVIDERS SHIFTING TOWARD A MORE CONSUMER-FOCUSED ENERGY ECOSYSTEM. THE FIFTH ANNUAL EDITION OF THE AWARDS IDENTIFIED SIX WINNERS SAINT JOHN ENERGY, SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC (SDG&E), LONDON HYDRO, PSE&G, JEA AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER. THEY WERE EACH RECOGNIZED AT THE 2022 CONSUMER SYMPOSIUM IN SAN DEIGO, CA. THE AWARDS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES OF CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION SUCCESS AND HIGHLIGHTS A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS (AND THEIR INDUSTRY PARTNERS) TO FOLLOW.SECC ALSO HOSTED A SERIES OF NINE FREE PEER CONNECT WEBINARS CONCERNING TOPICS RANGING FROM 2022 BEST PRACTICES AWARDS, SECC'S ENGAGING CONSUMERS IN LOAD MANAGEMENT, PROMOTING ELECTRIFICATION IN THE HOME WEBINAR SLIDES. EACH WEBINAR COVERED SMART ENERGY AND CONSUMER RELATED TOPICS FEATURING SPEAKERS FROM STAKEHOLDERS WITH EXPERTISE IN THAT SPECIFIC SUBJECT. ADDITIONALLY, SPEAKERS ANSWERED QUESTIONS AND ENGAGED IN DISCUSSION ABOUT EACH TOPIC.UTILIZING THE SIX THEMES FROM THE 2022 STATE OF THE CONSUMER REPORT, SECC PUBLISHED AN IN-DEPTH SECC'S ADVANCING A SMARTER ENERGY FUTURE FOR ALL WHITE PAPER WHITE PAPER THAT HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESSFUL UTILITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL BUSINESS CUSTOMERS. HIGHLIGHTED EXAMPLES INCLUDE A PAY AS YOU SAVE PILOT, A LOW-INCOME OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, A FREE SMART THERMOSTAT PROMOTION FOR LIHEAP CUSTOMERS, A COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECT, A GREEN POWER PROGRAM AND APPLIANCE-LEVEL HOME ENERGY REPORTS FOR SMB CUSTOMERS.IN 2022, THE EDUCATION & OUTREACH COMMITTEE CONTINUED WITH ITS TOOLKIT APPROACH, PRODUCING MULTIPLE RESOURCES UNDER A COMMON THEME TO MAXIMIZE THE REACH AND USEFULNESS OF THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR MEMBERS. THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE COMPLETED ITS AUTOMATING THE SMART HOME VIDEO. THIS 90-SECOND VIDEO PROVIDES A WALKTHROUGH OF A HOME AND SHOWCASES HOW SMART HOME TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDING SMART THERMOSTATS, SPEAKERS AND LED LIGHTING CAN BE ADDED TO DELIVER ENERGY SAVINGS, COMFORT, CONVENIENCE AND OTHER BENEFITS. SHARE THIS VIDEO WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE BASICS OF SMART HOME TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW THEY CAN BEGIN THE JOURNEY OF MAKING THEIR HOME A SMART HOME. SECC CONTINUED ENHANCING MATERIALS ON ITS CONSUMER-FACING WEBSITE, WWW.WHATISSMARTENERGY.ORG. THE WEBSITE REORGANIZED FURTHER ITS ABILITY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CONSUMERS TO FIND RELEVANT CONTENT ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES, RENEWABLE ENERGY, THE SMART GRID AND MORE. SECC ALSO ENGAGED WITH CONSUMERS ON A VARIETY OF PLATFORMS DAILY; LARGELY THROUGH TWITTER AND FACEBOOK WITH MULTIPLE POSTINGS A DAY INCLUDING BOTH ORIGINAL CONTENT FROM THE BLOGS OR PERTINENT NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT THE SHIFTING WORLD OF ENERGY.

COLLABORATION: DURING 2022, SECC CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN ITS UNIQUE MEMBERSHIP BASE, INCLUDING TECHNOLOGY VENDORS AND CONSULTANTS, ENERGY PROVIDERS AND AFFILIATES, AND ADDED TEN NEW MEMBERS INDICATING THE VALUE IN THE RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS PRODUCED AS WELL AS THE COLLABORATION FACILITATED. SECC PRESENTED AT 22 CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS, IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL, ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TO FURTHER THE REACH OF SECC'S RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, SECC RELEASED 32 MEDIA CENTERED PRESS RELEASES. IN ADDITION, SECC WAS FEATURED IN OVER 6 ARTICLES IN TRADE MEDIA.SECC CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE AMONG STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING ISSUING A MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER AND NINE ADDITIONAL PRESIDENT'S POST BLOG POSTS FROM SECC'S PRESIDENT & CEO NATHAN SHANNON ON TOPICS HELPING CONSUMERS SWITCH TO ELECTRICITY AT HOME. SECC CONTINUED A CONSISTENT SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN AND YOUTUBE. THROUGHOUT 2022, SECC ALSO CONTINUED THE WEEKLY ABOVE THE FOLD, A NEWSLETTER THAT KEPT MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS ABREAST OF SMART ENERGY AND CONSUMER INDUSTRY NEWS AND TRENDS.SECC ALSO HOSTED TWO CONFERENCES IN 2022 INCLUDING THE ANNUAL CONSUMER SYMPOSIUM, ADVANCING A SMARTER, MORE EQUITABLE ENERGY FUTURE, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND A VIRTUAL, MEMBERS MEETING & FALL WORKSHOP WHERE MEMBERS FOCUSED ON DISCUSSING THE MOST PERTINENT ISSUES IN SMART ENERGY TODAY AND PLANNING FUTURE SECC INITIATIVES FOR 2022. BOTH EVENTS FEATURED A DIVERSE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS AND MANY ENGAGING PANELS. IN SUPPORT OF SECC'S RESEARCH RELEASES, SECC PROVIDED PUBLICALLY AVAILABLE RESEARCH BRIEF WEBINARS COVERING EACH STUDY INCLUDING THE 2022 STATE OF THE CONSUMER, ELECTRIC VEHICLES: DRIVING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND THE CONSUMER PULSE AND MARKET SEGMENTATION WAVE 8. EACH WEBINAR PROVIDED TOPIC-ORIENTED EXPERTS SPEAKING TO THE FINDINGS OF RESEARCH AND ITS IMPLICATIONS AS WELL AS ACTION STEPS FOR OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. ADDITIONALLY, SPEAKERS ANSWERED QUESTIONS AND ENGAGED IN DISCUSSION ABOUT EACH TOPIC.