Mar 6 2008
More electric and gas utility customers use energy efficiency rebates than any other product or service their utility offers. In Chartwell's latest survey, 24% of utilities reported that rebates have more participation than any other residential offering. In 2006, only 10% of utilities said rebates had the highest participation rate, according to Chartwell's latest report, Utility Trends and Best Practices in Energy Efficiency.
The number of utilities offering energy efficiency rebates also continues to grow; in 2007, 71% of utilities reported offering them, compared to 58% in 2006 and 46% in 2004. This trend affirms that market transformation -- one sign of which will be the elimination of rebates that encourage consumers to choose energy efficient appliances and equipment -- has not been achieved, according to the report.
Utility Trends and Best Practices in Energy Efficiency includes proprietary quantitative data on utility rebates, financing, home construction, lighting, energy audits and online bill analysis tools for residential customers; and, for commercial and industrial (C&I) customers, rebates, energy audits, energy management software, sustainable construction and financing.
The report also includes more than 35 in-depth case studies on utility energy efficiency programs that address:
- regulatory concerns;
- CFL giveaways vs. low-cost sales;
- resource planning;
- tying efficiency to environmental issues;
- low-income programs; and
- motivating customers to act.
Among the 35+ programs examined in Utility Trends and Best Practices in Energy Efficiency are those of Duke Power, Nevada Power, Vectren, Xcel Energy, NSTAR, Puget Sound Energy and Hydro One.
Utility Trends and Best Practices in Energy Efficiency is available from Chartwell for $995, and is part of Chartwell's Products, Services & Programs Research Series, which focuses on utility products, services and marketing issues. It is available to Research Series and Chartwell Premier members.