Page 10 - European Energy Innovation - winter 2018 publication
P. 10
10 Winter 2018 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION
Understanding how consumers engage
with energy data is essential in delivering a
“Clean Energy Package for all Europeans”
By Willem Strabbing, Managing Director, ESMIG – The European Smart Energy Solution Providers
A new report that gathered should save energy. Also, increases learning is most likely to occur,
578 pilots involving 5,5 million in knowledge and concern from and over the long term as the
residential consumers over mass communication campaigns impact of behavioural change
the past 10 years sheds may not translate into observable becomes more automatic and
new light on consumer change of behaviour, unless the newer more ambitious household
engagement and learning general information is combined with goals are set when previous ones
patterns. The research was other more tailored and targeted are achieved.
commissioned by ESMIG and techniques. 4. 86% of pilot participants are
conducted by VaasaETT in satisfied with the feedback
November 2018. This study reports on how consumers programme and 85% would have
react to feedback on their electricity liked the programme to continue.
In its new policy framework “the and gas consumption and what is the 5. The impact of feedback
Clean Energy for All Europeans added-value of near real-time data increases with the number of
Package”, the European Commission in achieving other customer benefits. feedback types and channels
highlights the key and central It does so by analyzing the biggest provided. People, even those living
role of consumers in the global database of feedback, dynamic under the same roof, are different
transition to a low-carbon society. pricing, home automation pilots and and behaviour change is often
It proposes to help consumers save commercial roll-outs around the triggered by different incentives
money and energy through better world. and mechanisms. Energy
information and give them a wider conservation through feedback
choice of action when choosing their Main findings of the report can thus only be maximised if
participation in energy markets. 1. Disaggregated consumption the solution attends to different
segments of consumers with
Fortunately, there are several trends feedback followed by total different interest, norms and
converging to make consumer centric current consumption feedback rationalities.
markets a reality. Already a majority leads to the highest savings as 6. The importance of segmentation
of the EU member states (17) have it allows consumers to link their and targeted messages is
taken a positive decision for a full everyday activities with energy
roll-out of smart meters which will consumption, being often based
make available granular and reliable on real-time data, and thus better
information about individual energy focus their efforts.
use. In addition, the increasing 2. The feedback channel that
penetration of connected objects in leads to the highest savings is
homes and the decreasing costs of the in-home-display (IHD). This
measuring and analysing ever-larger may be attributable to three main
amounts of data will make real-time advantages of IHDs over other
data ubiquitous. feedback channels: it can act as
a constant reminder of energy
However, households are still consumption, reach the entire
scarcely knowledgeable on what family – unlike bills, mobile apps
energy efficiency entails, how much and web portals - and can provide
energy they consume, how much additional information via different
they pay for it, why and how they dynamic menus.
3. Feedback is most effective
in the short term, when task
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