Over Half of Consumers Surveyed Want Energy Information Displays in Home, According to GigaOM Pro
San Francisco – July 14, 2009 – Home Energy Management represents a key emerging battlefield for consumer mindshare within the nascent smart grid market. Two of the most active sectors within the smart grid arena are Energy Information Displays (EIDs), which serve as the primary user interfaces for energy management, and Demand Response (DR) services, which literally define the utility/customer relationship with regard to intelligent energy management. To shed some light on the open question of how consumers would prefer to monitor and control energy usage in their homes, GigaOM Pro and Pike Research have published a new report that provides quantitative analysis of consumer demand for EIDs and DR, based on a survey of 1,041 U.S. consumers.
“Consumer interest in Energy Information Displays is strong, with 52 percent of our survey respondents stating they would like to use one in their home,” says Clint Wheelock, managing director of Pike Research and author of the report. “Interest in Demand Response service is likewise solid with 39 percent of consumers finding the concept attractive. Both EIDs and DR should appeal to mass markets, as our survey found few variances in interest levels between different demographic and behavioral segments.”
The survey also found that willingness to pay for EIDs is solid, with two-thirds of consumers being willing to invest. Electricity bill savings expectations for DR are also within reason, with three-quarters of consumers stating that 30 percent savings would make signing up for such a plan worthwhile. “These factors lay the foundation for viable markets in both EID and DR,” adds Wheelock.
An increasing number of competitors are vying for supremacy in these emerging markets, making Home Energy Management a buyer’s market for utilities and consumers, and setting the stage for a market shakeout over the next few years. Vendors pursuing the EID space include Agilewaves, Energate, Google, Greenbox Technology, GridPoint, Microsoft, Onzo, and Tendril Networks. Key players in the DR arena include Comverge, eMeter, Energate, GridPoint, Tantalus, and Trilliant, among others.
“Home Energy Management: Consumer Preferences and Attitudes,” which can be found at the GigaOM Pro web site (http://om.bit.ly/G4MkE), examines consumer preferences and attitudes about EIDs and DR services, including level of interest, usage preferences and profiles, and willingness to pay. The report is based on a web-based survey of 1,041 U.S. consumers drawn from a nationally-representative and demographically-balanced sample, and analysis includes demographic and behavioral segmentation of consumers most interested in these products and services.
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About GigaOM Pro
As part of the GigaOM Network, GigaOM Pro delivers actionable insights on emerging markets by curating the most relevant news, providing big-picture analysis and in-depth original research reports, and offering interactive engagement with technology insiders. Visit GigaOM Pro today at http://pro.gigaom.com.
About Pike Research
Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Renewable Energy, Clean Transportation, Clean Industry, Green Consumers, and Environmental Management sectors. For more information, visit http://www.pikeresearch.com.
