The Environmental Defense Fund says telling people how much electricity they use at home compared to their neighbors encourages them to use less.
The group on Monday released a study of data collected from Fort Collins Utilities and 10 other utilities in six states. The group studied customers who received reports of their home energy use from the energy efficiency firm OPOWER.
Report author Matt Davis says on average, customers reduced energy demand 1.8 percent from what they used before after receiving the reports. He says households targeted to receive the reports because of high energy use reduced their demand by 6.5 percent on average.
Colorado Governor’s Energy Office TJ Deora says the study suggests the idea can work to help conserve energy and reduce consumers’ electricity bills.
