CHUGACH ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC. ANCHORAGE, ALASKA January 13, 2014 TO: FROM: THROUGH: Chugach Board of Directors Bradley W. Evans, Chief Executive Officer Tyler Andrews, VP, Employee and Member Services Teresa Kurka, Director, Member Services SUBJECT: Update on Smart Power: Third & Fourth Quarter 2013 The Smart Power initiative continues to provide energy efficiency resources and information to Chugach members. MYPOWER The current Energy Efficiency Pilot Program, consisting of two online tools: MyPower and the Opower Application (app), and funded by the Alaska Energy Authority as part of the Biggest State to Biggest Saver grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, will conclude in April 2014. Chugach is engaged in program design with Opower to offer an additional Program Year (PY2) through April 2015 to its residential members. It is proposed that the MyPower web portal will continue to function as-is. However, to improve PY2, Chugach plans to replace the app with Email Home Energy Reports (ehers). The ehers will include powerful neighbor comparisons and insightful energy saving tips which will be directly emailed to selected Chugach residential members. In PY1 it was essential to inform Chugach residential members about the program s existence. Thus, Chugach launched a marketing plan. The plan consisted of considerable media in the spring to coincide with the program launch, and in the fall to coincide with cooling temperatures and October Energy Awareness Month. The table below illustrates the marketing efforts. MYPOWER MARKETING EFFORTS Online MyPower Page NetPay Access Homepage Slider E-Bill Messages On-Hold Messages Printed Materials Bill Messages Bill Inserts Outlet Articles Business Cards Earned Media Anchorage Daily News Alaska Business Monthly Newsletters KTUU Paid Media KTUU KTVA KSKA KBRJ KEAG
Chugach also implemented procedures to track the number of members joining MyPower and used analytics to track visitors behaviors on the MyPower Page, on the Chugach website. In addition, Opower submitted quarterly reports on MyPower and the app. The MyPower metrics shown below are from May through mid-november 2013, unless otherwise noted. MYPOWER WEB PORTAL RESULTS 2,100+ residential members, representing 3% of members (As of Dec. 2013). 4,100 MyPower web portal visits. 80% new visitors to the web portal. Average time spent on web portal is 6:35 min. 120 energy saving commitments. 5,500 tip actions. With 400+ members, the most popular tip on the Ways to Save page has been Wash clothes with cold water. Analysis showed that the number of members that joined MyPower was about 50% of the number of pageviews on the MyPower page, on the Chugach website. The table below shows the total number of members that joined MyPower from May through December. It also shows a rise in participation in October, an expected result of the increased marketing efforts during the fall. MYPOWER MONTHLY TOTALS Total Joined 502 333 233 192 191 238 177 167 May June July August September October November December The app metrics shown below are from May through mid-november 2013, unless otherwise noted. OPOWER APPLICATION RESULTS 105 Chugach residential members (As of December 2013). 73 successfully connected to their Chugach account. 360 visits to the app. 130+ friend requests.
The results above show that Chugach residential members are using the online tools; however, Chugach wanted to take it a step further and gather members opinions on the program, via an online survey. The survey was sent to 1,070 members who had signed up for MyPower and indicated they wanted to be contacted in the future about MyPower. The survey response rate was 18%, with a 6.4% error tolerance and 95% confidence level. Key results are shown below. MYPOWER SURVEY RESULTS 200 members completed the survey. 20% of survey participants were between the ages 18-30, 29% were 31-40, 18% were 41-50, 22% were 51-60, and 11% were 61 or older. 79% recommend MyPower. The neighbor comparison was the most favored feature. 45% of members completed between 1-5 tips. 48% of the members were either satisfied or very satisfied with MyPower. 49% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Member comments about MyPower: MyPower is wonderful. Thank you for enabling Alaskans to share in the power of knowledge about our energy usage. I hope every resident joins. Thank you for providing more resources to customers Since it allows me to understand the majority of my energy usage, it allows me to become more financially reliable for myself when it comes to cutting things back. I sincerely appreciate this program! Didn t help. I already am very efficient. Although MyPower efforts lead much of the Smart Power work in the third and fourth quarter of 2013, many other efforts were happening as well. The tables below summarize our activities in community engagement, energy efficiency in schools and ongoing education and outreach efforts. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Booth/Exhibit Denali USA Member Appreciation Day Spenard Farmers Market Alaska Renewable Energy Fair Tyonek Energy Fair APA Annual Meeting Presentations Alaska Renewable Energy Fair APA Annual Meeting Other Commercial Lighting Class Smart Power Challenge
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN SCHOOLS Energy Hog Chugach staff reached 500+ students Led by Alaska Energy Efficiency Partnership 30 Schools 3 Energy Fairs 18 Alaskan Communities Watts Up or Down Energy Challenge Chugach staff reached 750+ middle school students Energy education and challenge Ongoing Middle school students ONGOING SMART POWER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Programs Offered Kill-A-Watt rental MyPower Opower App Member Resources / Publications Outlet Commercial Newsletter Bill Inserts On-hold messages Mailers On-bill messages E-Bill messages Website Research Energy Efficiency tools and evolving technologies Future EE Programs Green pricing programs Grant opportunities
CHUGACH ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC. KATE AYERS. ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION SPECIALIST. 907.762.4323
Smart Power: June 2013 to Present
MyPower: Status Update 3% of Residential Members Program Year One Results Program Year Two Program Design
MyPower: Marketing MYPOWER MONTHLY TOTALS Total Joined 502 333 233 192 191 238 177 167 May June July August September October November December CHUGACH ONLINE MyPower Page NetPay Access Homepage Slider E-Bill Message On-Hold Message PRINTED MATERIALS Bill Messages Bill Inserts Outlet Articles Business Cards EARNED MEDIA Anchorage Daily News Alaska Business Monthly Newsletters Channel 11 Radio PAID MEDIA KTUU KTVA KSKA KBRJ KEAG
MyPower: Metrics MYPOWER WEB PORTAL OPOWER APP 4,100 visits 82% new visitors Average time spent: 6:35 min. 5,500 tips completed Most popular tip: Wash clothes with cold water 105 accessed app 73 connected 360 visits to app 130 friend requests
MyPower: Survey Results Recommend MyPower? Favorite Feature? No, 21% 3.81 3.65 3.59 3.54 Yes, 79% Completed Tips? 1% 2% Neighbor Comparsion Ways to Save Page Home Energy Assessment Survey Creating an Energy Plan Satisfied with MyPower? 12% 2% 1% Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied 45% 10+ Tips 52% 6-10 Tips 1-5 Tips 36% 49% Neutral Satisfied 0 Tips Very Satisfied The survey was sent to 1,070 members who had signed up for MyPower and indicated they wanted to be contacted in the future about MyPower. The survey response rate was 18%, with a 6.4% error tolerance and 95% confidence level.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Overview COMMUNITY BOOTH - Alaska Renewable Energy Fair - Spenard Farmers Market - Denali Credit Union Member Appreciation Day - APA Annual Meeting - Tyonek Energy Fair PRESENTATIONS - Alaska Renewable Energy Fair - APA Annual Meeting COMMERCIAL CLASS - Commercial Lighting
CHUGACH IN SCHOOLS: Overview ENERGY HOG ASSEMBLIES - Led by Alaska Energy Efficiency Partnership - 30 Schools - 3 Energy Fairs - 18 Alaskan Communities - Chugach staff reached 500+ students Photo Credit: Tim Leach WATTS UP OR DOWN ENERGY CHALLENGE - Chugach staff reached 750+ middle school students - Energy education and challenge
ONGOING SMART POWER: Overview PROGRAMS - Kill-A-Watt Rental - MyPower - Smart Power Challenge RESOURCES - Outlets - Mailers - Bill Inserts - Commercial Newsletter - Website - Energy Tips - Program Info - Add. Resources
NEXT STEPS: Overview MyPower Program Year Two Chugach Energy Efficiency 5 year-plan Community and Member Engagement Alaska Energy Efficiency Partnership Group