Best Practices – Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative https://smartenergycc.org Listen, Educate, Collaborate Tue, 05 Mar 2024 16:55:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://smartenergycc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/cropped-SECC_LinkedIn_400x400_option2-32x32.png Best Practices – Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative https://smartenergycc.org 32 32 2024 Consumers Energy Case Study https://smartenergycc.org/2024-consumers-energy-case-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024-consumers-energy-case-study https://smartenergycc.org/2024-consumers-energy-case-study/#comments Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:42:48 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=31834 The post 2024 Consumers Energy Case Study appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Case Study

Consumers Energy


Electricity providers in the U.S. and Canada are making strides in educating and engaging consumers on better controlling how much energy they use, the resulting costs they incur and the benefits of shifting their usage.

These case studies collected by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative spotlight how smart energy technologies and programs have engaged consumers to empower them to match the energy they use with their needs.


Consumers Energy is one of Michigan’s largest energy providers, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. The principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, Consumers Energy has 8,879 full-time and seasonal employees and 5,736 megawatts of generating capacity.

The Healthier Homes program, led by Consumers Energy and CLEAResult, works with a health center in Flint, Michigan that refers qualified asthma patients who are likely to benefit from improved indoor air conditions. These customers are then connected to a customer advocate who will be their single point-of-contact as they continue through the program and receive energy efficiency and non-energy waste reduction upgrades.

In 2021, Consumers Energy had close to 100 homes participate in the program, and more than 130 participated in 2022. The projects completed in 2022 included 135 HEPA air purifiers, 386 hypoallergenic mattress covers, 134 dehumidifiers, 260 hypoallergenic pillow coverings and other direct-install measures.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2024-consumers-energy-case-study/feed/ 1 2024 Best Practices Awards https://smartenergycc.org/2024-best-practices-awards-results/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024-best-practices-awards-results https://smartenergycc.org/2024-best-practices-awards-results/#comments Mon, 26 Feb 2024 15:00:14 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=31763 The post 2024 Best Practices Awards appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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2024 Best Practices Awards


The Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative’s Best Practices Awards, now in their seventh year, recognize leadership from electricity providers (including investor-owned utilities, public power utilities and retail energy providers) in the transition toward a smarter, more consumer-focused energy ecosystem.

As providers continue to make investments in modernizing the grid and developing new programs, the Best Practices Awards aim to ensure that consumers and small businesses benefit from these innovations. By focusing on successful programs and applicable insights, it is our hope that these awards are a blueprint for continued change within the industry.

The six recipients of

the seventh annual Best Practices Awards are:

Smart Energy Innovation Award

Hydro One


Hydro One has been honored with the Smart Energy Innovation Award for utilizing Bidgely’s AI-driven data analytics to improve the customer experience for electric vehicle (EV) drivers and to better understand the impact of EVs on the grid.


Finalist: Liberty Utilities’ Digital Customer Experience (EX) Platform

Culture Transformation Award

Avangrid


Avangrid has been honored with the Culture Transformation Award for developing the Digital Center of Excellence (COE), a cross-functional business unit that is responsible for owning the end-to-end customer experience and the resulting customer satisfaction.


Finalists: NB Power’s Customer Experience Management Plan, Duke Energy’s Customer Connect Program

Consumer Engagement Award

PSEG Long Island


PSEG Long Island has been honored with the Consumer Engagement Award for successfully engaging customers in a time-of-use (TOU) rate pilot program through a rate comparison tool, personalized savings information in customer communications, updated bill designs, a multi-channel communications campaign and more.


Finalists: Avista’s Personalized home energy usage insights, SMUD’s Charge@Home online EV charger rebates

Energy Equity Award

NB Power


NB Power has been honored with the Energy Equity Award for launching a comprehensive energy efficiency program for low-income homeowners that has provided relief from high energy costs and improved the comfort of homes.


Finalists: Arizona Public Service’s Take Charge AZ equitable EV program, Duke Energy Florida’s Neighborhood Energy Saver program

Consumer Education Award

ComEd


ComEd has been honored with the Consumer Education Award for implementing the Powering Lives Resource Fairs to connect customers in need with several types of assistance, including LIHEAP, health screenings, food giveaways and more.


Finalists: Central Hudson Gas & Electric’s Clean Energy Marketplace, FreeState Electric Cooperative’s Crew at the Zoo energy education event

SMB Engagement Award

Dominion Energy


Dominion Energy has been honored with the SMB Engagement Award for redesigning an existing small business energy efficiency program to help local businesses deal with economic pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic.


Finalist: Alliant Energy’s Personalized energy usage insights and tools

More information on the winners can be found in the seven-page 2024 Best Practices Guide here. In addition, we will be hosting webinars later this year with the winners to learn more about their programs, strategies and technologies.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2024-best-practices-awards-results/feed/ 2 2024 Best Practices Guide https://smartenergycc.org/2024-best-practices-guide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024-best-practices-guide https://smartenergycc.org/2024-best-practices-guide/#comments Mon, 26 Feb 2024 15:00:11 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=31761 The post 2024 Best Practices Guide appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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2024 Best Practices Guide


SECC’s Best Practices Awards, now in their seventh year, recognize leadership from electricity providers (including IOUs, public power utilities and retail providers) in the transition to a smarter, more consumer-focused energy ecosystem.

The awards highlight successful programs, technologies and strategies in six categories: Smart Energy Innovation, Culture Transformation, Consumer Engagement, SMB Engagement, Consumer Education and Energy Equity.

The six recipients of the 2024 Best Practices Awards – ComEd, Avangrid, Dominion Energy, NB Power, Hydro One and PSEG Long Island – were recognized during SECC’s 2024 Consumer Symposium at DISTRIBUTECH International on February 26.

This seven-page “2024 Best Practices Guide” provides a general overview for each of the six winners and recognizes the runners-up for each category.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2024-best-practices-guide/feed/ 2 2023 Tennessee Valley Authority Case Study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-tennessee-valley-authority-case-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-tennessee-valley-authority-case-study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-tennessee-valley-authority-case-study/#comments Mon, 27 Nov 2023 19:40:15 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=31511 The post 2023 Tennessee Valley Authority Case Study appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Case Study

Tennessee Valley Authority


Electricity providers in the U.S. and Canada are making strides in educating and engaging consumers on better controlling how much energy they use, the resulting costs they incur and the benefits of shifting their usage.

These case studies collected by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative spotlight how smart energy technologies have engaged consumers to enable them to match the energy they use with their needs.


The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the nation’s largest public power supplier, delivering energy to 10 million people across seven southeastern states. TVA was established 90 years ago to serve this region and the nation by developing innovative solutions to solve complex challenges. TVA’s unique mission focuses on energy, environmental stewardship and economic development.

TVA EnergyRight® developed the Small Business Uplift program to bring transformative, valuable energy efficiency solutions to small businesses in underserved communities. This kind of support for mom-and-pop businesses can instill a sense of opportunity among neighbors and empower sustainable growth in communities that need it most.

In three years, the Small Business Uplift program has helped 167 small businesses in 19 different rural communities across Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky. In the third year, the program saw overall savings of 1,317,272 kWh and net carbon reduction of 724,500 pounds of CO2 across 81 projects.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2023-tennessee-valley-authority-case-study/feed/ 1 2023 Cobb EMC Case Study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-cobb-emc-case-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-cobb-emc-case-study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-cobb-emc-case-study/#comments Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:54:58 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=30989 The post 2023 Cobb EMC Case Study appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Case Study

Cobb EMC


Electricity providers in the U.S. and Canada are making strides in educating and engaging consumers on better controlling how much energy they use, the resulting costs they incur and the benefits of shifting their usage.

These case studies collected by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative spotlight how smart energy technologies have engaged consumers to enable them to match the energy they use with their needs.


Cobb EMC is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative. As a member-owned cooperative, Cobb EMC safely delivers reliable electricity to more than 200,000 residential and commercial consumers in Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee, Fulton and Paulding counties. Cobb EMC is consistently recognized for low-cost, reliable power, a commitment to renewable energy and giving back to the communities it serves.

To combat misinformation around rooftop solar in their service territory, Cobb EMC developed a Solar Education Strategy that included a comprehensive social media campaign, a revamp of their solar webpages, educational short-form videos, a membership-wide survey, a postcard mailed to seniors (one of their most vulnerable member demographics), email campaigns and more.

The total number of people reached through the Solar Education Strategy has exceeded 4,000,000 over the course of the campaign. In addition, Cobb EMC has had over 29,000 members “convert” by fulfilling the ultimate call-to-action, visiting their website to learn more and become empowered to make an informed decision about solar energy.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2023-cobb-emc-case-study/feed/ 1 2023 EnergyUnited Case Study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-energy-united-case-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-energy-united-case-study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-energy-united-case-study/#comments Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:42:24 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=30668 The post 2023 EnergyUnited Case Study appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Case Study

EnergyUnited


Electricity providers in the U.S. and Canada are making strides in educating and engaging consumers on how to better control how much energy they use, the resulting costs they incur and the benefits of shifting their usage.

These case studies collected by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative spotlight how smart energy technologies have engaged consumers to enable them to match the energy they use with their needs and lifestyles.


EnergyUnited Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is the largest electric cooperative in North Carolina, serving more than 135,000 metering points. Headquartered in Statesville, EnergyUnited provides electric service in portions of 19 counties in west central North Carolina. Now the largest electric cooperative in North Carolina, EnergyUnited has roots that date back to the late 1930s by way of two smaller community-based providers: Crescent EMC and Davidson EMC.

In July 2020, EnergyUnited partnered with Virtual Peaker, a cloud-based distributed energy software company, to create a new demand response program for its members, Peak Time Perks. The program engages cooperative members in reducing energy consumption during peak periods, saving the entire cooperative money in the process.

After less than a year of customer recruitment, EnergyUnited was able to enroll over 1,000 smart thermostats into the Peak Time Perks program. In the summer of 2021, the cooperative initiated six demand response events during predicted peak days and hit nine of the 10 major peak hours.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2023-energy-united-case-study/feed/ 1 2023 London Hydro Case Study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-london-hydro-case-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-london-hydro-case-study https://smartenergycc.org/2023-london-hydro-case-study/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2023 18:29:27 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=30544 The post 2023 London Hydro Case Study appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Case Study

London Hydro


Electricity providers in the U.S. and Canada are making strides in educating and engaging consumers on how to better control how much energy they use, the resulting costs they incur and the benefits of shifting their usage.

These case studies collected by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative spotlight how smart energy technologies have engaged consumers to enable them to match the energy they use with their needs and lifestyles.


London Hydro is a Local Distribution Company (LDC) that services the City of London, Ontario, Canada. With a peak load of 694 MW, they deliver a safe and reliable supply of electricity to approximately 163,000 customers from the residential, institutional, commercial and industrial sectors. Customers are connected through over 3,000 kilometers of overhead and underground cables, spanning 420 square kilometers of service territory.

In April 2020, the Ontario Energy Board announced that, as of November 1 of that year, they would require LDCs to provide their residential and small business customers with a choice between two regulated price plans. Over the next seven months, London Hydro opted to develop a personalized calculator tool that takes actual customer data and delivers personalized cost comparisons to aid in decision-making.

Since the Price Plan Calculator launched, it has been viewed over 33,000 times. Over 10 percent of eligible customers have made the switch – two-to-three times higher than other LDCs. At its peak, the Calculator became the fourth-most viewed MyAccount page, and 79 percent of customers who requested to switch plans did so using this self-serve feature.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2023-london-hydro-case-study/feed/ 1 2023 Best Practices Guide https://smartenergycc.org/2023-best-practices-guide/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-best-practices-guide https://smartenergycc.org/2023-best-practices-guide/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:00:29 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=30466 The post 2023 Best Practices Guide appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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2023 Best Practices Guide


SECC’s Best Practices Awards, now in their sixth year, recognize leadership from electricity providers (including IOUs, public power utilities and retail providers) in the transition to a smarter, more consumer-focused energy ecosystem.

The awards highlight successful programs, technologies and strategies in six categories: Smart Energy Innovation, Culture Transformation, Consumer Engagement, SMB Engagement, Consumer Education and Energy Equity.

The six recipients of the 2023 Best Practices Awards – Consumers Energy, TVA, Xcel Energy, Evergy, SMUD and United Illuminating – were recognized during SECC’s 2023 Consumer Symposium at DISTRIBUTECH on February 6.

This seven-page “2023 Best Practices Guide” provides a general overview for each of the six winners and recognizes two finalists for each category.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2023-best-practices-guide/feed/ 1 2023 Best Practices Awards https://smartenergycc.org/2023-best-practices-awards-results/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-best-practices-awards-results https://smartenergycc.org/2023-best-practices-awards-results/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:00:01 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=30463 The post 2023 Best Practices Awards appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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2023 Best Practices Awards


The Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative’s Best Practices Awards, now in their sixth year, recognize leadership from electricity providers (including investor-owned utilities, public power utilities and retail energy providers) in the transition toward a smarter, more consumer-focused energy ecosystem.

As providers continue to make investments in modernizing the grid and developing new programs, the Best Practices Awards aim to ensure that consumers and small businesses benefit from these innovations. By focusing on successful programs and applicable insights, it is our hope that these awards are a blueprint for continued change within the industry.

The six recipients of

the sixth annual Best Practices Awards are:

Smart Energy Innovation Award

United Illuminating


United Illuminating has been honored with the Smart Energy Innovation Award for empowering customers to engage in the clean energy transition by supporting the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and implementing the first EV managed charging program in Connecticut.


Finalists: Xcel Energy's home area network with real-time energy data, Tampa Electric's transformational investments in smart energy technologies

Culture Transformation Award

SMUD


SMUD has been honored with the Culture Transformation Award for developing the Community Impact Strategy, which takes a boots-on-the-ground approach to tackling issues in their community and ensuring that the goal of zero carbon by 2030 is being achieved equitably.


Finalists: Cobb EMC’s journey mapping initiative by cross-functional team, Ameren Illinois’ Market Development Initiative (MDI)

Consumer Engagement Award

Evergy


Evergy has been honored with the Consumer Engagement Award for leveraging its new online Marketplace sub-platform, the Offer Center – in partnership with Uplight, to effectively reach income-eligible customers and offer free energy-efficient products to approximately 183,000 Missouri households through a simple, streamlined process.


Finalists: ComEd’s free smart thermostat offer for customers on LIHEAP, Tacoma Power's Home EV Charging Rebate (for owners and renters)

Energy Equity Award

Consumers Energy


Consumers Energy has been honored with the Energy Equity Award for focusing on income-eligible residents with qualifying respiratory issues and supplementing typical whole-home retrofit energy efficiency measures with an array of extra measures aimed at reducing indoor environmental triggers.


Finalists: Arizona Public Service’s Multifamily Energy Efficiency Programs, SMUD’s equitable HVAC electrification program

Consumer Education Award

Xcel Energy


Xcel Energy has been honored with the Consumer Education Award for implementing a robust, multi-channel customer experience that helped customers learn the specifics of a new time-of-use rate and empowered them with digital tools and energy efficiency programs to manage their energy use.


Finalists: CPS Energy’s Smart Energy Education for schools, Cobb EMC’s Summer of Solar education campaign

SMB Engagement Award

Tennessee Valley Authority


Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has been honored with the SMB Engagement Award for developing the Community Centered Growth program that is bringing transformative and valuable energy efficiency solutions to small businesses in underserved communities.


Finalists: Con Edison's personalized recommendations from Virtual Energy Audits, NB Power's Business Efficiency Rebate Programs and marketing campaign

More information on the winners can be found in the seven-page 2023 Best Practices Guide here. In addition, we will be hosting webinars later this year with the winners to learn more about their programs, strategies and technologies.

Recommended Resources


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]]> https://smartenergycc.org/2023-best-practices-awards-results/feed/ 2 2022 AVANGRID Case Study https://smartenergycc.org/2022-avangrid-case-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2022-avangrid-case-study https://smartenergycc.org/2022-avangrid-case-study/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2022 13:51:06 +0000 https://smartenergycc.org/?p=30219 The post 2022 AVANGRID Case Study appeared first on Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.

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Case Study

AVANGRID


Electricity providers in the U.S. and Canada are making strides in educating and engaging consumers on how to better control how much energy they use, the resulting costs they incur and the benefits of shifting their usage.

These case studies collected by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative spotlight how smart energy technologies have engaged consumers to enable them to match the energy they use with their needs and lifestyles.


AVANGRID is a leading sustainable energy company transitioning America toward a clean and connected future. The company is headquartered in Orange, Connecticut and has a footprint in 24 states with $40 billion in assets. Their primary businesses are Avangrid Networks, which serves 3.3 million electric and natural gas customers in the Northeast, and Avangrid Renewables, the third-largest renewable energy company in the U.S.

AVANGRID’s OptimizEV Pilot Program, launched in September 2019, aimed to assess incentives to encourage load-shifting of residential EV charging and explore customer expectations for participating in a utility-directed, EV load-shifting program. Using a web-based interface, the pilot sought to ensure that EVs are charged within the timeframes specified by the residential EV owners.

The pilot concluded in May 2021, comprising a baseline period followed by 15 months of full program operation. The pilot was demonstrated with 35 residential customers, 100 percent of whom stated that OptimizEV met their needs in a final customer feedback survey. In addition, 91 percent said they would maintain participation if the program continued, and 96 percent said that they were either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the pilot.

Recommended Resources


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