Energy Management and the Role of Utilities
Utilities are in a unique position, as their customers span multi-generations, income and education segments, renters, homeowners , and individuals, in addition to families. In traditional, non-retail markets, which represent the majority of households, their relationship is long-term. They are a trusted advisor in their communities, even though many consumers only interact with their utility when moving to a new residence, paying a monthly bill or when an outage occurs. Energy management is a key component of the connected home, and utilities are a key distribution point — 23 percent of U.S. broadband households that bought a smart home device in the past 12 months made the purchase due to an incentive, discount, or rebate from their energy provider. New business models and technology provide opportunities to change the customer relationship and drive engagement and participation in utility programs tha...