Download Customer Research: Segment Drivers and Barriers and Assessment

Integrated Demand Side Management (IDSM)
Customer Research: Segment Drivers and Barriers
and Assessment of Online Integrated Toolkit
Work Order Proposal
1 Description
This work order proposal describes one of two studies currently proposed for the CPUC 20132014 IDSM Research Roadmap, Customer Research: Segment Drivers and Barriers and
Assessment of Online Integrated Toolkit.
Per CPUC direction, the IOUs are promoting distribution of, and access to integrated solutions;
that is, energy saving solutions that draw from programs and technologies that span Energy
Efficiency (EE), Demand Response (DR), Distributed Generation (DG), and Energy Storage.
The shared objective of both the CPUC and the IOUs is an effective coordination across these
proceedings to deliver comprehensive, optimized energy solutions to customers. IDSM
approaches bring benefits to the customer through the delivery of the right solutions to the right
customer at the right time.
The IDSM statewide program is a strategic planning program implemented by all four of
California’s energy investor owned utilities (IOUs). The program ensures that the IOUs work
together and pool their actions, lessons learned, and resources to develop and promote programs
and strategies that seek to provide integrated demand side energy solutions to customers in all
market segments (residential, commercial, agriculture, and industrial). As a statewide program,
the IDSM Program has a dedicated budget, specific objectives and goals, and the IOUs must
report on the progress of these activities to Energy Division on a quarterly basis.
A process evaluation of the statewide IDSM program was conducted during the 2010-2012
cycle. The studies proposed for the 2013-14 cycle are intended to provide IDSM with an
improved platform from which to enter into important dialogue related to resource allocation and
to form effective strategies that build on a solid understanding of relevant, existing customer
preferences and market trends.
Itron, Inc.
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Impact High Level Plan Template
Impact High Level Plan Template
2 Objectives
2.1 Key Research Questions
The key research question for this study are:

How does an integrated approach affect integration of CSI / Solar due to the better
payback of EE and DR options?

What is the role of EE and DR payback as drivers on solar customer participation
decisions? How have recent changes in DR costs changed investment decisions and
preferences across the various customer segments?

How do synergistic effects of supporting technologies or innovative technology
configurations change payback? How do they change perceived value of projects and
likelihood of uptake?

What is the role of DSM performance uncertainty in customer investment decisionmaking and how does it change technology preferences and investments?

How effective are online tools for promoting demand side resource integration among
customers as well as how well they are informing IDSM program design?

What are the recommendations for improving their effectiveness in these areas and better
coordination among the various tools?
2.2 Parameters to be Evaluated by Measure (Impact)
The primary objectives of this study are to:
.

The various energy management tools, services and information offered online by the
IOUs (i.e. the “integrated toolkit”) are designed to provide greater access and improved
uptake for integrated solutions in the small commercial and residential marketplace. We
seek to optimize the content and delivery of the online integrated toolkit by examining
ease of use, functionality, customer satisfaction, and effectiveness in promoting DSM
actions.

The current IOU-led IDSM small commercial and residential market characterization
study is using supply-side data and interviews to take a snapshot of current trends and
offerings in IDSM products, services, and related marketing messages. A major objective
of the segment and driver study is to further develop and build on these findings though
primary research conducted with customers. More specifically, we seek to create a
prototype or profile of customer segments; describe the size and membership by segment;
and moreover, understand the primary drivers and barriers to IDSM for each segment.
Ultimately we seek to understand the underlying dynamics of customers’ perceived value
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Impact High Level Plan Template
Impact High Level Plan Template
of DSM options; to understand how those preferences vary across individually
considered DSM adoptions versus grouped or sequenced adoptions. This understanding
will serve efforts to improve IDSM service design, marketing and overall program
delivery.
3 High Level/Generalized Methods
The table below describes the evaluation activities and the main purpose for each.
.
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Impact High Level Plan Template
Impact High Level Plan Template
Evaluation Activity
Research Objectives
Collect and analyze IOU online toolkit
usage and use-pattern data, as availability
permits
Evaluate the comprehensiveness, usability,
satisfaction and efficacy of the online
toolkit.
Surveys with customers using elements of
the online integrated toolkit – with an
emphasis on the integrated audit.
Understand customer segments, and
segment-specific drivers and barriers to
IDSM uptake.
Survey questions will be designed to
understand what population segments are
using the toolkit, and whether that varies
by the different toolkit elements. What led
customers initially to chose the different
elements of the toolkit.
Were customers satisfied with the services
and information provided – did they find it
useful, did it provide them with what they
were initially looking for.
.
General population survey for residential
and small commercial segments. As general
population surveys are fielded for other
studies, we will add a short series of IDSM
questions.
General population is needed to provide a
more comprehensive characterization of
customer segments and IDSM drivers and
barriers, by surveying a population more
broadly defined than customers using the
online toolkit.
Conduct conjoint analysis. Customers in
the sample will include online toolkit
participants, as well as the general
residential
and
small
commercial
population.
Determine perceived valuation and tradeoffs of individual DSM options, combined
offerings and the effects of sequencing.
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Impact High Level Plan Template
Impact High Level Plan Template
Rigor/Precision
Sample sizes for the segments of interest (to be determined in cooperation with the PCG) will be
set to meet a targeted confidence and precision of 90/10.
The conjoint analysis samples will be constructed to support the estimation of statistically
significant coefficients at an expected 90 percent confidence level. (Given budget constraints,
this may be possible only for the sample as a whole, and not for sub-segments.)
4 High Level Timeline and Budget
The anticipated cost of the study is $100,000.
Deliverables:
March 2014:
Online toolkit participation and usage characterization memo
April 2014:
Memo covering:
1. Online toolkit participant survey sample design
2. Conjoint study sample design
3. Inventory and status of potential general population surveys to
leverage (residential and small commercial)
4. Survey instruments for all efforts
September 2014:
Draft Report
November 2014:
Final Report
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Impact High Level Plan Template