The Engaged & Knowledgeable Utility Customer - Key to Energy Transition

Over the past decades the engagement of the utility customer has dramatically increased.  This engagement needs to be enhanced and leveraged to speed the energy transition and improve grid reliability.  Of course one individual consumer will not impact the grid, but utility programs can engage large numbers of consumers which are then significant contributors to change and improvement.  

Historically, utility programs have encouraged energy efficiency via new equipment, insulation, etc..  Seasonal time of use pricing has encourage scheduling of usage and reduction to save costs, but these programs are fixed for long periods, not dynamic.  The key customer value in this model was cost reductions.  Many of today's consumer are interested and engaged in reducing their carbon footprint, thus highly aligned with most utilities' goals.  New programs can now leverage both cost and carbon reductions to incentivize customer alignment. 

Of course, a key tool, now in all consumer's hand is the mobile phone and the ubiquitous growth in social media.  This combination provides an opportunity to increase education, engagement and action.  Well designed programs can encourage short and long term actions based on real data and systems needs.  This should go beyond demand reduction, as customers are now investing in assets that have great potential for grid stability, including on-site generation, storage, EV's and demand reduction.  Utility/governmental support in funding these assets will increase their deployment and mandate participation in utility support programs.   With these programs, the utility gains capacity, tools and customer partners.  

In addition to the physical assets, an engaged customer is more likely to change behavior when necessary to support short grid issues.  An established communications means and relationship is key to this support.