Community Pilot
Device Information
The Customers’ Perspective on
Tools and Technologies
Information gathered by:
Andy Mendyk
Joe Kramer
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• Tools & Technology – Customer Input on Devices
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Community Pilot
Device Information
 3 communities
 5 technologies
 Interviews over 18 months
Plover
Allouez
Brillion
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• General Takeaways
– Successes:
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Improve awareness of energy use prompting behavior change
Customers appreciated the utility program/benefits
Proud to be in the pilot
Felt the devices had intrinsic value
Conversation piece - word of mouth promotion of program and
devices
– Challenges:
• Education on device functions and purposes
• Quality of connectivity affects device performance
• Devices had design/production flaws
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• ecobee Smart Thermostat
– Programmable thermostat with multiple access
modes (Web and smart phone)
– Tested in Allouez households
– Phone interviews of 10 households
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• ecobee Smart Thermostat
– Successes:
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Improved knowledge of energy usage & cost
Remote access and user friendly
Minimal use issues
Checked often for weather information
– Challenges:
• Remote scheduling is difficult
• Thermostat enrollment cumbersome
• Touchscreen complaints
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• Google PowerMeter
– Web-based energy
report with graphics
• Data feed on home page
• Weekly email report on
energy use
• Gave estimate of costs
• In-home interviews in Brillion
and Allouez
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• Google PowerMeter
– Successes:
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Customers liked energy use tracking over time
Used the resource steadily over time
Interface was easy to read quickly but could “drill-down”
Interactivity with The Energy Detective (TED)
– Challenges:
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Not coordinated with TOU rate
Could not get appliance-specific data
Could not get detailed data beyond 2 days past
Was discontinued by Google
Community Pilot
Device Information
• WPS Usage Graphs
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WPS-hosted energy use data with graphs
Profile of energy use throughout the day in TOU periods
Customers could compare current with historical use
In-home interviews in Brillion and Allouez
Community Pilot
Device Information
• WPS Usage Graphs
– Successes:
• Found interface to be user-friendly
• Graphs easy to interpret
• Comparisons over time and to other households are
useful
– Challenges:
• Confused content with other WPS web content
• Used relatively infrequently
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• The Energy Detective (TED)
– Handheld device that provides instant information on
electricity being used in the home
– Several modes of connection:
• Handheld device
• Dashboard web interface
• Via Google PowerMeter
– Graphics of energy use and
cost information
– In-home interviews in Brillion and
Allouez
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• The Energy Detective
– Successes:
• Real time data helps users pinpoint energy issues –
improved knowledge and control
• Used frequently and high satisfaction
• Device presence keeps energy use in mind
• Device caused “TED envy”
– Challenges:
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• Many flawed devices returned
• Many devices still without full functionality
(signal/charge issues)
• Few would pay full price
Community Pilot
Device Information
• Home Energy Management System (HEMS)
– Central hub networked with other devices
– Packages:
• Home base
• Home base, socket & strip
• Home base, socket & strip, and
programmable thermostat
– Control and monitoring of household energy use,
and of specific items
– Graphs and other visual displays of data
– Remote access
– 2 rounds of in-home interviews in Plover
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• HEMS – Home Base
– Successes:
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High overall satisfaction
Easy to set up and use, unobtrusive
Web and smart phone interface options
Simple, understandable data presentation
People used it analytically to make buying/energy use decisions
Conservation customers appreciated threshold alerts
Used to check current use, projected use, appliance use, use
over time
– Challenges:
• Reliance on home networks/connectivity
• Reconnection can be difficult
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• HEMS – Socket and Strip
– Allows monitoring and control of appliances
Socket used for:
Strip used for:
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Refrigerator/freezer
Dehumidifier
Laptop/computer
Space heater
Coffee maker
Microwave
Entertainment center
Computer and peripherals
Fish tank and peripherals
Toaster and can opener
Paraffin hand bath
Fans
Community Pilot
Device Information
• HEMS – Socket and Strip
– Successes:
• Used to learn about energy used by individual devices
and make management decisions
• Used to manage equipment for load shifting/
bedtime enforcement
– Challenges:
• Often not used or under-used, and usage
declined over time
• Lack of surge protection
• Few locations where strip use made sense
• Customers overloaded/fried device
• Low motivation to use scheduling unless on TOU rate
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• HEMS – Thermostat
– Allowed remote access and control
– Successes:
• Several used “home,” “asleep,” “away” settings
• Smart phone remote access worked well
– Challenges:
• None
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• What did they do with the information?
– Load shifting – AC, laundry, dishes, pool pump,
dehumidifier
– Conservation – fish tank lights, cooking, plug
load, lights
– Buying decisions – CFLs/LEDs, The Nest, motion
sensor, TV, refrigerator
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Community Pilot
Device Information
• Customer Recommendations:
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Loan devices and rotate to new households
Include monitoring of natural gas use
More choices on packages
Expand information devices to provide:
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Information on what other homes are doing
Rate plan comparisons based on home’s energy use
Breakdown of energy used at each price level during the day
Periodic usage reports by email
– Sockets/strips that can handle higher voltages
– Hour by hour highs and lows for energy use
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Community Pilot
Device Information
Thank you.
Joe Kramer
Energy Center of Wisconsin
jkramer@ecw.org
608-210-7119
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