Understanding Residential Customers’ Attitudes and Knowledge of Electrification
Midwest utilities look to consumer insights on electrification to shape what's next.
Challenge
A Midwest gas utility aimed to explore customer intentions regarding home electrification and gather insights into their overall opinions on the subject. Key objectives included assessing the perceived environmental benefits, potential cost implications, and concerns about the electric grid's capacity.
Solution
Bellomy conducted an engaging online discussion with members of the utility's residential customer panel to delve into these topics.
Results
Positive Perceptions and Misinformation
Nearly 75% of respondents viewed electrification favorably, citing environmental benefits and reducing fossil fuel use. Many believed it would lower their energy bills, despite the fact that electric heating is generally more expensive than natural gas. This indicates a significant gap in customer understanding regarding cost implications.
Grid Capacity Concerns
Customers expressed some concerns about whether the current electric grid could support increased demand from electrification. This highlights a need for the utility to educate customers on grid capabilities and developments.
Awareness of Energy Sources
The study uncovered a lack of awareness about the energy sources for electricity, with many customers unaware that most electricity is still sourced from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. This insight points to an opportunity for the utility to better communicate the environmental realities of electrification.
My favorite feature is the ability to apply custom topics from one dataset to another. Since my industry is such a unique space, this feature allows me to have a starting point for all projects and saves me considerable time. For the first time last year, we presented powerful content to business stakeholders to help improve our product offerings.
—Tiffany/Market Researcher, Utilities
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