NRG Energy Inc : Residents Save an Average of 17% on Reliant Innovation Avenue
06/06/2012| 12:10pm US/Eastern
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--First Six Months on Most Energy-Conscious Block in the Nation
Proves What's Possible with Reliant's Exclusive Smart Energy Solutions--
After living six months on the most energy-conscious block in the
nation, Reliant Innovation Avenue residents have reduced their
electricity usage by an average of 17%, proving what Reliant
believed that when homeowners have access to innovative products and
services that provide specific, real-time information about their
electricity usage, many will take steps to change their habits and
ultimately lower electricity use and costs.
Reliant established Innovation Avenue, which consists of 12 homes in a
historic neighborhood near downtown Houston, in October 2011 as a
"living laboratory" to garner unprecedented access to real-time,
real-life consumer behavior regarding electricity use. Reliant worked
with each family to provide a set of smart energy technology products
and services developed by Reliant and its partners and then monitored
their electricity usage and related costs. Given the tools and
information, it was up to the residents to decide if or how they wanted
to change their electricity use.
This six-month threshold marks the first milestone in terms of analyzing
the consumer data since launching the project. Results to date reveal:
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Access to specific, individual household information leads to
better consumer understanding of consumption and options resulting in
changes in behavior that lead to lower electricity usage and costs. Residents
saw an average decrease of 17% in electricity used over the last six
months as compared to the same period one year ago. The results varied
by home and were based on services provided and the choices made by
the residents after the technologies were installed in their homes.
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The tools used most consistently to monitor and manage electricity
usage were both the Reliant e-Sense® Weekly Summary Email and the
Reliant e-Sense® Home Energy Monitor. The email gives a view of
usage over the last week and provides a projected monthly bill amount
and the monitor allows residents to regularly and easily track how
much electricity they are using in real time. Several residents cited
examples of instantaneous behavior changes based on a better
understanding of peak-time use.
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Installing solar panels has allowed one family on Innovation Avenue
to create electricity, not just use it. Scott and Carol Beck's
home was outfitted with customized solar panels via Reliant Solar
Solutions, a residential solar panel leasing program. In six months,
the solar panels generated 1174 kWh of electricity, saving Scott and
Carol 17% on their electricity cost and reducing carbon dioxide
emissions by approximately 1,470 lbs. Their home also received a home
energy checkup, smart appliances and home automation. Scott and Carol
continue to use Reliant e-Sense® Account Management, Weekly Summary
Email and Home Energy Monitor to learn about and track their
electricity usage.
"Only six months after launching Innovation Avenue, the residents are
clearly demonstrating that people can dramatically reduce their
electricity usage when they understand more about their usage patterns
and what the options are in terms of smarter choices," said Reliant
President Jason Few. "Our focus is always on the customer, and the
real-time window that Innovation Avenue provides into customer behavior
is unprecedented. As intended, the residents and our teams are learning.
The two-way feedback and data is exceptionally valuable and we look
forward to learning more in the coming months. It is encouraging to see
these folks prove our theory that advanced energy technology works and
is truly a viable option for our customers."
What the Residents Learned
The Reliant Innovation Avenue program has been received well by the
residents, many of whom have seen significant savings in both
electricity and money as a result of the program.
"I just like seeing that our house is generating electricity instead of
just consuming it. It's like having our own generating system in our
house," said resident Scott Beck. "My wife and I compared last year's
October electricity bill to this year's October electricity bill, and we
saved $100 between the two months, which is something we did not expect.
Solar is going to be a plus every single year, especially if we continue
to have these heat waves. You can't beat it."
Residents feel more informed about their electricity consumption and
empowered to take control of their electricity usage and monthly bills.
One Innovation Avenue couple, Mike and Lorrenda Lechtenberg, altered
their behavior and consumption significantly enough to reduce their
usage by 36%.
"One of the tools that was provided was the Reliant e-Sense® Home Energy
Monitor. Essentially it shows us our daily electricity usage throughout
the day. We can look at the thermostat and see how that correlates to
electricity usage on the e-Sense® Home Energy Monitor. It has almost
become a game to try to eliminate the usage and decrease the amount of
cost," said Mike Lechtenberg. "We can see the direct impact on the
monitor when the air conditioner has been running for two-to-three hours
at a low temperature versus when we adjust it to a slightly higher
temperature the next day. One day it will be $5 for electricity; the
next day it's only $2. You start multiplying that by thirty days a
month, and there's big savings there."
Based on ongoing feedback from the families over the next two years, the
Reliant team will continue to design and deliver smart energy technology
for broader audiences.
Moving Forward
This summer will mark the next phase of Innovation Avenue's testing as
residents participate in new Reliant pilot programs involving demand
response and smart thermostats.
The Reliant Innovation Avenue project was launched in October 2011 with
a special acknowledgement by the city of Houston. Reliant leads Texas in
bringing the benefits of smart energy technology to consumers with more
than 600,000 Reliant customers already using Reliant e-Sense® products
and services.
Customers don't have to live on Innovation Avenue to experience this
kind of value. Any Reliant customer with a smart meter can sign up for a
suite of smart energy solutions for free! Go to www.reliant.com/esense.
About Reliant:
Reliant provides electricity, energy services and smart energy solutions
to more than 1.5 million retail customers including homes, businesses,
manufacturing facilities, government entities and institutions in Texas,
Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania. As part of NRG (NYSE: NRG), Reliant is
backed by a Fortune 500 company at the forefront of changing how people
think about and use energy. NRG is a pioneer in developing cleaner and
smarter energy choices for its customers and its diverse power
generating facilities can support over 20 million homes nationwide. For
more information about Reliant products and services, visit www.reliant.com.
Reliant
Pat Hammond, 713.537.2157
© Business Wire 2012
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