Annexation - Yolo - Utility Energy Forum

Do They Care How Much Their
Neighbors Use?
Lessons Learned from SMUD’s Normative Messaging Pilot
Bruce Ceniceros
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Why Social Marketing?
SMUD Must Achieve Bold New Goals
250
196
200
145
150
2.5X
107
100
70
50
$25
$34
$40
$45
0
2007
2008
First Year Savings Goal (GWh)
2009
Budget (Millions)
2010
Energy Efficiency Potential
(Need 1940 GWh)
Behavior
Equipment retrofits
?
Codes & Standards
R&D
Emerging
Technologies
New Construction
New Behavior Programs at SMUD:
Power Cost Monitors
New Behavior Programs at SMUD:
Home Electricity Reports
New Behavior Programs at SMUD:
Green Social Networking Site
New Behavior Programs at SMUD:
Branded Awareness Campaign
Report Format
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Report Example
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Overview of Program Results
ƒ Around 2% average, sustained reduction in usage
based on SMUD preliminary internal evaluation
ƒ Savings is from an untargeted group
ƒ High energy users saved more than low energy users
ƒ Those that received a “Below Average” message saved
the most, yet efficient users saved too
ƒ All income brackets used less
ƒ “Green” customers saved more than “non-green” users
ƒ Customers who made commitments saved more
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Big Results From Customers Who Set Goals
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July, 2008 mailing included a reply card inviting customers to commit to reduce their
energy use by 10%, 15% or 20%
177 Customers (0.5%) set goals in July, 2008
Customers who set goals had triple the savings as those that did not
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Impact evaluation and survey will answer:
ƒ What actions did people take to reduce energy use?
ƒ How much of the savings resulted from participation in
other SMUD programs?
ƒ How, specifically, did the reports motivate them to save?
ƒ For how long will savings persist?
ƒ Who saved the most, and why? Can these segments be
targeted?
ƒ Who saved the least, and why? Can the reports be
modified to induce more savings from these segments?
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Feedback from Report Recipients
ƒ 970 calls, letters, and emails
(2.8% of test group)
ƒ 579 Opt-outs (1.7%)
ƒ Unlikely to be representative of
entire test group, but can be very
informative
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Feedback from Report Recipients
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Feedback from Report Recipients
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First report
received
First report
received
Selected Research Questions Suggested by
Feedback
ƒ For how many months is negative feedback effective
before it turns counterproductive? Should report designs
and messages be dynamic?
ƒ Would assuring recipients that they have a right to use
energy however they want improve attitudes? Would this
reduce the reports’ effectiveness?
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Recommendations to Organizations Considering
New Behavior-Change Strategies
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Learn all you can from other fields
Collaborate with other utilities and EE organizations
Prepare your management
Prepare your customer services staff
Prepare your customers
Start with a pilot designed around initial research results
Integrate design with other program efforts
Test alternative strategies
Pay attention to all feedback
Don’t stop testing
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Preliminary Conclusions
ƒ Behavioral programs are a viable option (and a largely
untapped resource)
ƒ We will continue to refine the program to accommodate
customer concerns and suggestions
ƒ SMUD plans to continue the program beyond the pilot
(specific design will depend on one-year impact analysis)
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Resources and Contact Info
ESource
Gwen Farnsworth
Associate Director Research
303.345.9111
[email protected]
Precourt Institute for Energy
Efficiency
Behavior and Energy
http://piee.stanford.edu/
Consortium for Energy
Efficiency “Behavior Interest
Group”
Monica Nevius
(617) 589-3949 x227
[email protected]
Bruce Ceniceros
Sacramento Municipal Utility
District
Principal DSM Program Planner
(916) 732-6747
[email protected]