Smart grid consumer close-up: The 'DIY & Save' segment

By Patty Durand

SGCC Executive Director

New Year's resolutions are popular year after year. We vow to start the New Year with a fresh attitude, reflecting on the changes we want or need to make. Over the last two years, the uncertain economic situation has made saving money and getting out of debt widely popular, with more consumers pledging to get their financial house in order in the upcoming year.

To a certain segment of the U.S. population, saving money and debt control is a top priority, driving their do-it-yourself home improvement projects, energy savings and interest in smart grid pricing programs. 

Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative’s Consumer Pulse and Market Segmentation Study examined electricity consumers in the U.S. in terms of how they feel, think, decide and act on energy. The study identified five distinct consumer segments in the U.S., each defined holistically in terms of attitudes, values, behaviors, motivations, lifestyles, technology adoption and more – all as they relate to smart grid issues.

This article examines the “DIY & Save” segment of the U.S. population, their frugal mindset, and how it impacts their support of smart grid implementation and programs.

Who is the DIY & Save segment?

The DIY & Save segment comprises 16 percent of electricity consumers in the U.S. They are largely white, middle-income families with 20% having three or more children at home. Age range is wide with 60% between 25 to 60 years of age. The vast majority are homeowners.  Conservatively skewed, they are most likely to say “religion guides the way I live.”

What is their smart grid understanding?

The DIY & Save segment has the largest percentage of consumers reporting that they have a smart meter installed (36%); however, their smart grid and smart meter awareness is low.  Similar to other segments, only 23% of consumers in the DIY & Save segment have basic or complete knowledge of smart grid - what it is, how it would work and how it would affect homes and businesses. 

However, after receiving a brief explanation they generally feel more favorable about smart meters than the other segments we identified, perhaps because they see a potential for smart meters to help them keep tabs on their energy usage and expenditures.  They feel that the biggest incentive to implement smart grid and smart meter technology is to help consumers save money.  By the same token, if smart grid and smart meter deployments raised costs for customers, DIY & Savers would be likely to oppose these developments.

Next page: Opportunities to engage the DIY & Save segment >>