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2011 U.S. Smart Grid - Saving Energy / Saving Money Customers'
Frost & Sullivan, Aug 2011, Pages: 105
This Frost & Sullivan research service titled 2011 U.S. Smart Grid - Saving Energy / Saving Money Customers' Perspective on Demand-Response assesses residential energy consumers' willingness to change their power consumption habits to mitigate power issues. It analyzes whether past energy problems raise concerns about power issues and determines the probability of environmentally conscious consumers participating in demand-response programs.
Market Overview
Nearly 40 Percent of Residential Energy Consumers Are Aware of Smart Grid Technology, Yet Awareness Likely Does Not Stem from Electric Utility Companies
Although almost 40 percent of residential energy consumers are aware of smart grid technology, very few know of any efforts by electric utility companies to introduce smart grid technology in their communities (16 percent in 2009 and 2011). However, utilities' investments in demand-response programs are likely to pay off, as consumers are willing to manage energy consumption through demand-response and energy management systems to reduce monthly electric bills. Overall, 32 percent of consumers who have a preference among the various energy management systems picked a dedicated in-home display, whereas 25 percent selected a ‘virtual/online' accessible energy management system, as it offers the flexibility of access from anywhere at any time. “Similar to the 2009 results, consumers professed the highest interest for dynamic pricing with enabling technologies and dynamic pricing without enabling technologies,” says Christina Alfaro Research Analyst with Frost & Sullivan's Customer Research. “Consumers' cost saving expectations per month with dynamic pricing - with or without enabling technologies - are $16 to $30.” The interest in direct load control is the lowest of the three demand-response programs surveyed. This last place finish is reflective of the perceived loss of personal control/privacy related to direct load control.
Utilities could also prudently invest in a combination of demand-response program options, as long as they pick the right mix. There is a higher interest in combination programs when residential energy consumers contemplate only one demand-response program at a time. The availability of options is likely to appeal to residential energy consumers, but combination packages should not focus or lead with direct load control. Utilities can feel optimistic about consumers' willingness to improve their energy habits by changing the time for housework or simply monitoring power usage online. This readiness to change could be partly influenced by the finding that 49 percent of consumers noticed an increase in their electricity bill over the previous year, mainly due to a hike in the rate per kilowatt hour. In an improvement over last year's data, about 78 percent of respondents indicated that they would be very or somewhat likely to monitor their electricity consumption online. The largest proportion of respondents (64 percent compared to 60 percent in 2009) report they are somewhat or very likely to change their energy usage habits in return for savings on their electricity bills.
According to the 2009 and 2011 surveys, more than two-thirds of residential energy consumers have experienced a blackout at some point. Yet, the ordeal does not seem to have affected their interest in demand-response programs either negatively or positively. Roughly three out of ten never think about the availability of electricity in their area, and only six percent think that the unavailability of electricity is an actual problem. Nevertheless, compared to the 2009 results, nearly one-quarter of respondents think it might become a problem in the near future. Overall, there are very few differences between the RPS states and the non-RPS. “It appears that respondents' geographic location does not play a big role when it comes to the adoption of smart grid technology,” notes Alfaro. “The year-to-year comparison of total sample data between 2009 and 2011 also shows similar results.”
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