Study explores energy customer engagement initiatives

A report released by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) this week identified key characteristics of low-income residential energy customers while recommending engagement and program design initiatives for electricity providers.

The report, “Spotlight on Low-Income Consumers: Revisiting Their Needs and Wants,” utilized data from five consumer surveys while exploring the attitudes and behaviors of residential energy customers with incomes less than $50,000 per year.

Consumers within that income bracket pay a disproportionately high amount for the energy needed to light, heat and cool their homes, officials said, often three times more than the general population.

The study also determined the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has served less than 20 percent of income-eligible households, signaling a gap between available assistance and those in need.

The report offers energy providers ideas on how to better serve the targeted population’s needs by outlining opportunities for program design and customer outreach, including utilizing existing community channels such as neighborhood associations, religious organizations and community centers.

An emphasis has been placed on program design streamlining enrollment and directly address the financial hurdles that low-income consumers face when starting a program.

Officials said a report summary is available on the SECC website while a webinar on the findings will be held on July 25 with key members of the research team and Liz Coyle, executive director of Georgia Watch, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization.