Nearly two-thirds of Consumers would buy a Smart Thermostat if combined with $75 Utility Rebate
2014 Smart Energy Summit to Focus on Connected Appliances for the Smart Home with Keynotes from Austin Energy and Nest
New Parks Associates research shows consumer adoption of smart thermostats could expand significantly if paired with utility rebate programs. The firm's 360 View: Energy & American Broadband Households Consumers reports 43% of U.S. broadband households are willing to purchase a smart thermostat if offered a $25 rebate, 55% would purchase if offered a $50 rebate, and 62% would purchase if offered a $75 rebate.
Parks Associates will discuss the research and the growing market for connected appliances and the smart home at the 2014 Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer on February 17-19 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas. Debbie Kimberly, VP of Distributed Energy Services, Austin Energy, will discuss the company’s Power Partner Thermostat Program during the opening keynote "Leveraging New Approaches and New Technologies in Addressing Utility Challenges.” Erik Charlton, VP, Business, Nest, will also address smart thermostats in the luncheon keynote, "From Push to Pull: How Nest is Redefining Energy Services.”
“Consumers are interested in smart thermostats but are generally unwilling to pay more for the ability to control a thermostat from a smartphone or computer,” said Tom Kerber, director, energy and home controls research, Parks Associates. "Utility incentives that eliminate the price difference between smart and standard programmable thermostats will accelerate adoption."
Parks Associates found, when a smart thermostat is priced at $50 more than a programmable thermostat without Internet connectivity, 39% of consumers would choose the smart thermostat. Those willing to buy increased to 42% when the difference was lowered to $25.
Other 2014 Smart Energy Summit keynotes include:
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"Partner or Compete: Utility Decisions on Home Energy Management," Kevin Meagher, VP & GM, Smart Home, Lowe's
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"The API Economy: The Impact to Consumers and Energy Management," Stuart Lombard, President and CEO, ecobee
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"Connected Homes Power Energy Management ," Bill Horrocks, VP, Product Management - Xfinity Home, Comcast
2014 Smart Energy Summit sponsors are Speed Wire, Percepscion, Alarm.com, Earth Networks – WeatherBug, ecobee, EcoFactor, Lowe's, Opower, People Power, PlanetEcosystems, Qualcomm, Technicolor, Z-Wave, AlertMe, Schneider Electric, and Tendril.
Information about the 2014 Smart Energy Summit is available at http://www.ses2014.com. Press passes for the event are available at http://www.parksassociates.com/ses-presspass. If you’d like to schedule a meeting with an analyst or speaker or request materials from the energy conference, please contact Holly Sprague at [email protected] or 720.987.6614.
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.
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