Impacts of SGIG Consumer Behavior Studies of Time-Based Rates on Customer Acceptance, Retention and Response with Peter Cappers

Since 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the electric power industry have jointly invested over $7.9 billion in 99 cost-shared Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) projects. Ten electric utilities agreed to conduct consumer behavior studies (CBS) and produce comprehensive reports with the aim of evaluating customer responses to various types of time-based rate programs implemented in conjunction with information and control technologies. Results summarizing the analyses of the CBS utilities will be presented over five different topical areas: (1) Recruitment approaches , effects of opt-in and opt-out; (2) Pricing versus rebates  effects of CPP and CPR; (3) Customer information technologies effects of IHDs; (4) Customer control technologies effects of PCTs; and (5) Customer response to prices effects of TOU.