Moving from outsider to insider: peer status and partnerships between electricity utilities and residential consumers

An electricity demand reduction project based on comprehensive residential consumer engagement was established within an Australian community in 2008. By 2011, both the peak demand and grid supplied electricity consumption had decreased to below pre-intervention levels. This case study research expl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	PloS one 2014-06, Vol.9 (6), p.e101189-e101189
Main Authors:	Morris, Peter, Buys, Laurie, Vine, Desley
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Aged Alternative energy Behavior Biology and Life Sciences Case studies Community Community Participation Consumer behavior Consumers Consumption Cooperative Behavior Cost of living Earth Sciences Ecology and Environmental Sciences Education Electric power demand Electric power supply Electric utilities Electricity Electricity consumption Emissions (Pollution) Emissions control Energy audits Energy policy Engineering and Technology Female Households Humans Male Marketing Middle Aged Monetary incentives Partnership Partnerships Peak demand Peak load Peer Group Peers Policy making Public Policy Qualitative research Renewable resources Research and Analysis Methods Residence Characteristics Residential communities Residential energy Social Sciences Studies
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Summary:	An electricity demand reduction project based on comprehensive residential consumer engagement was established within an Australian community in 2008. By 2011, both the peak demand and grid supplied electricity consumption had decreased to below pre-intervention levels. This case study research explored the relationship developed between the utility, community and individual consumer from the residential customer perspective through qualitative research of 22 residential households. It is proposed that an energy utility can be highly successful at peak demand reduction by becoming a community member and a peer to residential consumers and developing the necessary trust, access, influence and partnership required to create the responsive environment to change. A peer-community approach could provide policymakers with a pathway for implementing pro-environmental behaviour for low carbon communities, as well as peak demand reduction, thereby addressing government emission targets while limiting the cost of living increases from infrastructure expenditure.
ISSN:	1932-6203 1932-6203