Page 2: Applying behavioral science and lessons learned >>

By Jesse Berst

 

Over the past few years, we've heard a lot about the consumer engagement mistakes made by a few pioneering utilities. Yet as time goes on, more and more utilities are figuring out how to do it right. One of the keys, it turns out, is to apply behavioral science to the problem.

 

I learned more about this concept recently when I interviewed two consumer engagement pros in preparation for our June 7 webinar about using behavioral science to improve customer portals. (Click to read more or to register for free.)

 

KCP&L's demonstration project

I spoke first to Gail Allen, Senior Manager of Customer Solutions at KCP&L. (She'll be joining us for the webinar, by the way.) She's in charge of the consumer engagement side of KCP&L's "SmartGrid Demonstration." This $48 million project -- funded in part by a DOE stimulus grant -- involves roughly 14,000 customers and includes:

·         Smart meters (Landis+Gyr)

·         Smart thermostats that can respond to OpenADR commands for demand response events

·         A web portal for all 14,000 customers

·         Opt-in time-of-use (TOU) rates for all customers

·         In-home displays for about 1,600 customers

·         A home area network (HAN) for 400 customers

 

As part of the same effort, KCP&L is also installing utility-owned rooftop solar panels on select buildings, installing electric vehicle charging stations and upgrading its distribution network  and a substation (with a 1MW battery).

An ambitious consumer engagement goal

The project was charged with a very ambitious goal – to give customers home energy management tools the same day those customers got their smart meters.

Conventional wisdom suggests installing and testing the network infrastructure first; then installing the meters in phases; and only then tackling home energy management.

 

That challenging goal was made even more difficult when the original vendor was unable to meet its commitments. KCP&L had to scramble to find a replacement, eventually choosing Boulder, CO-based Tendril. KCP&L chose Tendril, according to Gail Allen, because "it is an open platform with open APIs," she explains. "In the future, we hope customers will be able to choose from a variety of compatible thermostats and other gear at retail establishments."

 

As we saw in our recent article and webcast with Duke Energy on effective paper reports, many utilities begin with paper reports before moving to online portals. KCP&L, on the other hand, started with the portal and is only now considering deploying paper reports to get broader involvement.

 

The web portal was the cornerstone of KCP&L's consumer engagement effort. When customers log on, it shows them such things as:

·         Hourly, daily and monthly energy use

·         Estimated bill

·         Billing history and charts

·         Comparisons to other homes in the community

·         Energy-saving tips tailored to each home

 

In addition, the portal lets customers set energy-saving goals and track their progress. It even enables an online community where customers can swap tips and success stories.

Next page: Applying behavioral science and lessons learned >>

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