Parks Associates to host 2014 energy summit February 17-19 in Austin

Parks Associates today announced the date and topics for the fifth-annual Smart  Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, which will take place February 17-19, 2014, at the Four Seasons in Austin, Texas. The city has a history of innovative energy and smart-grid programs and is the next market for Google Fiber.

Parks Associates' energy management research finds consumer energy-saving activities have remained unchanged over the past year yet consumers show interest in utility programs with defined financial incentives. Over 40% of U.S. broadband households are very interested in a utility program that delivers a new thermostat with improved energy-efficiency capabilities.

"An improved U.S. economy has limited consumer interest in energy-saving activities, but there are areas where utilities, service providers, manufacturers, and retailers can open up new service opportunities,” said Stuart Sikes, president, Parks Associates. "Smart Energy Summit is the premier executive conference to discuss new business strategies, explore partnership opportunities, and analyze the viability of innovations and new solutions within the context of the connected home."

"Consumers are reluctant to adopt new or novel energy programs without incentives clearly defined," said Tom Kerber, Director, Research, Home Controls & Energy, Parks Associates. "Fewer than one-fifth of U.S. consumers would choose a variable rate plan over a fixed rate plan in the absence of these additional incentives. At Smart Energy Summit, we will discuss the incentives that resonate with consumers."

Topics:

• Utility strategies: innovative DR and variable pricing programs
• Energy engagement: getting consumers interested in energy management
• Standards and interoperability: solutions that bring it all together
• Partnerships and new business opportunities for service providers, utilities, manufacturers, and retailers 
• Evolution of energy markets
• The dying utility business model
• New business models  and capabilities for home controls
• Big data and analytics
• Expanding energy management solutions through connected appliances and thermostats
• Consumer engagement methods and adoption success stories for the smart home

The event will analyze consumer-facing solutions that engage consumers in the energy management market. For example, PlanetEcosystems, a demand-reduction service provider and early sponsor of Smart Energy Summit, offers a solution that calculates return-on-investment for consumers to help them make informed decisions on energy efficiency. Best Buy is currently using this solution to perform home energy auditing.

Early sponsors are PlanetEcosystems and Qualcomm. Parks Associates is accepting speaker submissions for the 2014 event. Visit http://www.ses2014.com or contact 972-490-1113, [email protected] for information. Media can register at http://www.parksassociates.com/ses-presspass.

About Smart Energy Summit

Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer addresses the evolution of the consumer utility market, the impact of COVID-19 on energy management programs, and new opportunities to drive engagement in utility-sponsored programs. Virtual panels and networking sessions, featuring executive-level experts from multiple industries, address strategies for utilities, service providers, retailers, software providers, and manufacturers to expand and monetize energy management and other energy-focused offerings through consumer engagement, new business models, unique partnerships, and innovative technologies.

Smart Energy Summit features an in-person conference February 13-15 at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown, with virtual sessions on June 15, August 17, and November 9. The summit agenda features leaders from utilities, state and national regulators, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs. Follow the event on Twitter at @SmartEnergySmt and #SmartEnergy23. For information on speaking, sponsoring, or attending Smart Energy Summit, visit www.smartenergysmt.com.
 

About Parks Associates: Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.

The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.

Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com
 

Next: Parks Associates Smart Home Research: 38% of U.S. broadband households willing to purchase connected home energy management products
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