SGIG Consumer Engagement Experience: The Sequel National Town Meeting on Demand Response & Smart Grid July 11 th, 2013 Shawn Enterline, Vermont Energy.

SGIG Consumer Engagement Experience:

The SequelNational Town Meeting on Demand Response &

Smart GridJuly 11th, 2013

Shawn Enterline, Vermont Energy Investment Corp.

Behavior Study Stakeholders

• Serves northern Vermont

• 35,000 members, 14/mile

• ‘05 AMI Deployment Begins

• ‘08 Outage Mgmt. System

• ’09 WattWatchers Begins

• ‘10 SGIG Behavior Study

• ’12 98% AMI Penetration

Savings by Feedback TypeSource: Advanced Metering Initiatives and Residential Feedback Programs: A Meta-Review for Household Electricity-Saving Opportunities; June 2010 --- ACEEE Report Number E105

Enhanced Billing

Household Specific info,

advice

Estimated Feedback

Web-base energy

audits with info on

ongoing basis

Daily/Weekly

Feedback

Household-specific info,

advice on daily or

weekly basis

Real-Time Feedback

Real-time premise level info

Real-Time Plus

Feedback

Real-time info down to

the appliance

info

“Indirect” Feedback(Provided after consumption occurs)

“Direct” Feedback(Provided real time)

3.8%

6.8%

8.4%9.2%

12.0%

An

nu

al P

erce

nt

Sav

ing

s

Behaviors Purchase Use

Conservation

Demand Response

Energy Efficiency

Fuel Substitution

X

X

X

XX

Midnight 6:00 AM Noon 6:00 PM

Consumer Behavior Impacts System Planning

Supply

Demand

Energy E

fficiency

Demand Response

Smart Charging

Conservation

Broadly Dis-tributed

Highly Targeted

E-mail

Marketing & Messaging Channels

On

e-

Way

Two-

Way

Com

mu

nic

ati

on

Community Outreach

Utility Bill

In-Home Display

Direct Mail

Mobile Phone App

TV, Radio & Newspaper

Traditional Website

Market Channel Coordination

Gaming

Outgoing Calls

CRM

Social Website

Text Message

• Outreach concentrated immediately after installation

• Up to 6 outgoing calls

• eNewsletter & e-mail support

Outreach Content

1. Introductions

2. Review device and portal operation

3. Set goals for energy savings

4. Delivery energy curriculum

– Heating / Cooling System Operation

– Thermostat setback

– Electric Baseload Use

– General Tips & Recommendations

Satisfaction Survey Results

• How frequently was the web portal used?

• How frequently was the IHD used?

• What behaviors did it change?

• Was the coaching well-received?

Satisfaction Survey Results

0

50

100

150

200

CBS 157

WIPP 29

Number of Survey Responses, by study 580 Total Participants

186 Responses32% Response Rate

Survey was administered online

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

3% 3%

10%

19%

28%

21%

11%

5%

# of

Par

ticip

ants

Last Time You Visited the Web Portal

Daily A few times a week

Once a week

A few times a month

Once a month

Not very often

Never0

5

10

15

20

25

30

22%

25%

11% 12%

7%

15%

8%

# of

Par

ticip

ants

How often do you check your In-Home Display?

Kitchen

Bedroom

Living R

oom

Family

Room

We M

ove it

Around

We U

nplugged

ItOther

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

7033%

4%

31%

9%

1%

5%

17%

# of

Par

ticip

ants

Where is your in-home display located?

Strongly Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

15%

57%

19%

5% 4%

# o

f P

art

icip

an

tsHas your energy specialist helped you save

energy?

Strongly Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

0102030405060708090

100

17%

52%

23%

5% 3%# o

f P

art

icip

an

tsMotivated you to make changes that save

energy?

Yes No Don't Understand the Question

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

70%

28%

2%

# of

Par

ticip

ants

Have you implemented any recommendations?

• Technology– CT Clamp– Web Portal

• System Integration• Program Implementation

– Be prepared to handle the unexpected.• Customer Support

– Prepare for increased staff levels and content knowledge.

– Outgoing calls are entirely different from incoming.– Time per Member - Average call time is 17 minutes.

Lessons Learned To Date

Specific Challenges

• CT Clamp Problems– New and untested– Didn’t work well with historical data

• Web Portal– Wasn’t “ride-a-long”, making customer

support & troubleshooting a challenge• Field Support

– Required a second visit to home, same scheduling problems.

• Tier I / Tier II Hand-off

Customer Participation Lessons Learned• Certain segments are very active.

– Others are not at all• Outgoing vs. Incoming Customer Service

– They are entirely different; scheduling challenges

• Time per Member:• Average call time is 17 minutes• Average field visit is 90 minutes plus drive

time and coordination

Contact InformationShawn Enterline, Sr. Consultant

[email protected] 802-540-7805www.veic.org

Elizabeth Gamache, Manager of Corporate Services

[email protected] 802-730-1158

www.vermontelectric.coop

Treatment GroupsSmart Grid Pilot Projects

VEC WIPP VEC

Timeframe Year 1 1 Year Year 2

Group # 1 2&3 1 2 1

# of People 269 199 78 34 850

Phone Energy Specialist

X X   X  X

Field Energy Specialist

    X    

In-Home Display   X X X  

Personal Web Portal X X X X  X

Variable Peak Pricing      X

Latency 12 hrs<15 min

<15min

<15min

 12 hrs

VEIC at a Glance• Mission-driven nonprofit

– Reduce the economic & environmental costs of energy use.

• Consulting Services– Program design, planning & evaluation, policy & advocacy,

research & development– 35 states, 6 Canadian provinces, 6 Countries in Europe, Asia

• 3 Energy Efficiency Utilities– Efficiency Vermont: nation’s 1st energy efficiency utility– Efficiency Smart: efficiency services to 48 midwest munis.– DC SEU: sustainability services in the nation’s capital