Dive Brief:
- A new study examining consumers' level of engagement with the smart grid finds that while 28% of respondents were considered highly engaged, most consumers believe they are energy conscious in general.
- While highly engaged customers agree reducing energy waste is important, the study found low energy engagement consumers, though to a lesser degree, also want to do what they can to lower their energy bill and believe it is important to not be wasteful.
- Ultimately most consumers are motivated by savings, the report found. "Few explicitly state they purchase and use these energy management products to help the environment," the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC) said.
Dive Insight:
SGCC said it completed the Motivations & Emotions of Engaged Consumers report to better understand "consumer engagement, consumers’ motivations for engaging with their utility and/or energy use, and what emotions result from that engagement." The results show that most respondents think curbing energy use is a good thing, but just how much action they take varies on many factors.
"For low engagement consumers, it’s all about saving money," SGCC said, according to Transmission & Distribution World. "The average engagement group also focuses on money, but is more likely to mention environmental issues. The high engagement consumer mentions money, environment, and responsibility most often. ... high engagement consumers are more likely to be future-oriented in their motivations, while low engagement consumers are more likely to be present-oriented in their motivations."
The group with the highest energy engagement and greatest energy consciousness tended to consist of college graduates with a household income in excess of $75,000.
