As American consumers become more in tune with the household energy usage data that’s now widely available from smart home and smart grid technologies, the possibilities of what they can achieve with electricity become more top of mind, finds a new report from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC), a nonprofit organization that works to learn the wants and needs of energy consumers in the United States and Canada.

According to the “2024 State of the Consumer” report, a meta-analysis of SECC’s 2023 research agenda, there is also a noticeable correlation between engagement with usage data and trust in electricity providers. Consumers who actively engage with their energy usage data tend to have higher levels of trust and satisfaction, and this trend is particularly pronounced among electric vehicle (EV) drivers, indicating the importance of informed consumer engagement in fostering positive relationships between consumers and providers.

In 2023, SECC’s research agenda included three major studies – “Electrification at Home and on the Road”, “Customer Satisfaction and the Smart Grid” and “Renewables: Engaging Consumers in the Clean Energy Transition” – plus three installments of the new Smart Energy Snapshot Surveys, short-form, nationally representative surveys designed to quickly capture Americans’ thoughts on timely energy-related topics. Last year, the Snapshot Surveys covered topics ranging from energy affordability to demand response to power outages.

The “2024 State of the Consumer” report begins with an overview of the key findings and takeaways from SECC’s 2023 consumer research studies, while the second half of the report shares three big-picture themes on energy consumers that emerged from this research:

1. Consumers demonstrate a strong affinity for the practical advantages of electricity, both at home and on the road.
2. Consumers show signs of anxiety over cost and reliability.
3. Consumers are poised to be active participants in grid modernization.

“This year’s report really has two major takeaways for industry stakeholders,” said SECC’s President & CEO Nathan Shannon. “On the one hand, engaged energy consumers are very satisfied with what new programs and products can do for them, and the vast majority of consumers support upgrading the grid to meet present and future needs. However, cost and reliability continue to be major concerns that stakeholders need to help address.”

Member organizations can download the new report on SECC’s website here, and it is available to the media on request. In addition, SECC’s Deputy Director Jason McGrade will be hosting a one-hour webinar on the report’s highlights on Wednesday, April 24 at 1 p.m. (ET) with additional insights from guest speakers with Touchstone Energy, ICF and Opinion Dynamics.