home energy usage reports: does increased feedback lead to significant energy reductions and reduced...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS?
NASUCA MID YEAR MEETINGJUNE 25, 2012
Ricky Gratz, Assistant People’s Counsel
Maryland Office of People’s Counsel
6 St. Paul Street, Suite 2102
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-767-8150
www.opc.state.md.us
![Page 2: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
OPOWER• OPOWER is an energy efficiency and smart grid software
company that partners with utilities • OPOWER sends Home Energy Usage Reports that
compares customers energy usage with their “neighbors”
2
![Page 3: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
BGE’s OPOWER Pilot On May 21, 2010, the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) filed with the Maryland Public Service Commission a request for approval of a Pilot Program featuring an innovative direct mail campaign (BGE Home Energy Report) designed to: Better inform participants about their existing energy consumption Encourage customers to use less energy Increase participation in the energy efficiency components of
BGE's Smart Energy Savers Program®
3
![Page 4: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
BGE’s OPOWER Pilot BGE tested a targeted direct mailing to 25,000 BGE residential
customers using energy reports based on a program developed by OPOWER
BGE sent seven test mailings every other month from October 2010 to September 2011 to 25,000 customers
The pilot customers were randomly drawn from BGE’s entire residential customer base and included both electric only and gas and electric customers
To fully test the campaign’s effectiveness, a control group of 25,000 customers was also selected These customers did not receive the direct mailings
4
![Page 5: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
BGE’s OPOWER Pilot - Sample direct mail letter
5
![Page 6: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
BGE’s OPOWER Pilot – Results• Cost: $323,000• Total Home Energy Report pilot participants saved about
1.2% on average when compared to the non-participants or control group
• Limited income customers saved a cumulative 1.9%, which was more than non-limited income customers
• Total savings – 3,478 MWH• Total cost per kWh – $0.09• Pilot TRC – 1.08 (does not include incremental savings
from additional participants)• Users reported taking over 500 tip actions
6
![Page 7: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Cost-effectiveness
• Recommendation: Apply the same cost-effectiveness standard to a Home Energy Usage Report Program as you would any other EE Program
7
![Page 8: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Cost Recovery
• Recommendation: Apply the same standard to a Home Energy Usage Report Program as you would any other EE Program
8
![Page 9: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Opt-in vs. Opt-out
• Recommendation: It is reasonable to allow the default option for Home Energy Usage Report Programs to be Opt-out
9
![Page 10: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Increasing Participation in Utility Energy Efficiency (EE) Programs
• Recommendation: Consider adding a cost-effective Home Energy Usage Report Programs to a portfolio of utility EE programs to increase participation
10
![Page 11: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
EE Programs vs. Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) Programs
• Home Energy Usage Report Programs are feasible without any AMI data
• Some Home Energy Usage Report Programs provide additional information based upon AMI data
11
![Page 12: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
New Developments• Green Button• Apps for Energy
12
![Page 13: HOME ENERGY USAGE REPORTS: DOES INCREASED FEEDBACK LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT ENERGY REDUCTIONS AND REDUCED COSTS? NASUCA MID YEAR MEETING JUNE 25, 2012 Ricky](https://reader036.vdocuments.net/reader036/viewer/2022062716/56649dc45503460f94ab6d95/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
THANK YOU!
13