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Energy Efficiency

Erschienen in:

01.06.2023 | Original Article

Applying customer commitments to natural gas utility energy conservation

verfasst von: Ted C. Peterson

Erschienen in: Energy Efficiency | Ausgabe 5/2023

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Abstract

Previous energy conservation research highlights the importance of behavior, customer commitments, and energy efficiency programs. Much has been written on the impact of behavior energy efficiency savings documented through home energy report programs. This research expands upon utility efforts to offer behavior utility programs and documents the impact of utility customer commitment research through a formalized utility pilot program.

In this pilot program in Utah, the ThermWise^® (ThermWise is the company related branding for Dominion Energy’s energy efficiency programs in Utah.) Energy Pledge, natural gas utility residential customers agreed to a 2-year customer energy pledge pilot program (2019–2021). By enrolling in the pilot, customers set a goal for energy reduction. Customers received monthly text messages in the program with energy-saving tips, a monthly goal status email, cold winter text alerts, and annual emailed program reports.

Initially, in 2019, over 2000 customers enrolled in the pilot program. Following the program, an evaluation revealed significant energy savings. Most compelling in those findings discovered that customers who agreed to allow their name to be published on a corporate website had over double the savings of other program participants. The pledge program confirms the impact of customer commitments on their energy use and offers promise for future utility programs encompassing commitments. Further research is warranted on identifying how further incorporate commitments into utility programs.

Vorheriger Artikel Electric power consumption in high-income countries as catalyst for sustainable development: empirical evidence from generalized quantile regression

Nächster Artikel The utility of using a top-down conduct-of-life-based approach for explaining energy consumption behaviour: evidence from Switzerland

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ThermWise^® represents the company branding for its programs.

The company initially chose 50 dekatherms but later modified that to 40 dekatherms for a wider possible audience. At the time of the study, the typical annual residential consumption in Utah totaled 80 dekatherms.

Since this Energy Efficiency Budget filing, the Company decided to postpone the second Pilot Group B until November 2023 due to billing system updates in 2022.

This citation misstates “save money” with the statement should have read “save energy.”.

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Titel: Applying customer commitments to natural gas utility energy conservation
verfasst von: Ted C. Peterson
Publikationsdatum: 01.06.2023
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Erschienen in: Energy Efficiency / Ausgabe 5/2023
Print ISSN: 1570-646X
Elektronische ISSN: 1570-6478
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-023-10122-8

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