SmartGridNews.com The insider's guide to the modernization and automation of electric power
Americans Will Pay for Smart Grid Advantages, But Not Much By SGN Staff Aug 18, 2009 - 3:59:14 PM
Americans are willing to pay an average one-time price of $48 for the advantages of Smart Grid service and $13 for a monthly service. Individuals classified as “green elites,” however, would be willing to pay more — $70 for a one-time fee and $36 a month. That’s the finding of a recent Internet survey conducted by Burson-Marsteller and Penn, Schoen, and Berland Associates, LLC. The findings suggest utility companies may not be able to count on much customer support for the cost of smart meters or home energy management devices.
Quick Take: We think many utilities are going to have to subsidize the full price of the in-home energy monitors and recover it gradually in their rates. If the whole energy efficiency movement has to wait until everyone in the USA goes out and buys, installs, and uses an energy management monitor, it just won’t happen. Some companies, like Control4, are trying to make the product sexier for the average consumer. But even they are hoping to get utility subsidies for their in-home displays. See the link below for our analysis of Control4.
Presentation slides for Green Power Progress survey
Subscribe to our FREE eMail News Alert!
Smart Grid Newsletter (SGN) is the insider's guide to the Smart Grid revolution. It consists of a FREE bi-monthly email summary, along with a companion Web site that contains the full stories and other helpful materials. Benefits of subscribing: SGN is the only central source for all of the news, trends, research and marketplace information relevant to grid automation. In it, you will read about cutting edge technologies; successful pioneers and how they got ahead; regulatory changes that could unleash new markets; the latest research; and new opportunities for sales of grid-related products and services. © Copyright 2008 SmartGridNews.com |