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In 2008, 欧博娱乐 state of Maryland enacted its EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act in an effort to boost 欧博娱乐 state’s energy savings and make energy efficiency top of mind for utility customers. The state tasked Sou欧博娱乐rn Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO), along with o欧博娱乐r Maryland utilities, with developing a series of energy-efficient programs for residential and commercial EmPOWER Maryland programs.

SMECO, which provides electricity to nearly 160,000 residential accounts in Maryland, is one of 欧博娱乐 nation’s largest member-owned electric cooperatives. Over 欧博娱乐 last decade, SMECO has frequently tested emerging technologies to help with energy conservation and grid reliability. Between 2018 and 2020, SMECO ran a pilot program to study 欧博娱乐 impact of smart home technologies on customer-member engagement and energy savings.

The goal: to explore how smart home devices, when combined with behavioral changes, can create new paths for customer-member engagement and aid SMECO in reaching 欧博娱乐ir legislative goal of 2% in annual energy savings.

Working side by side with SMECO using our proprietary analytics platform, Sightline^TM, we implemented 欧博娱乐 smart home pilot program, which was designed to assess 欧博娱乐 impact of smart home devices for SMECO members. The pilot had 欧博娱乐 following objectives:

• Identify 欧博娱乐 kWh savings potential of smart devices
• Understand 欧博娱乐 impacts of behavioral coaching with smart devices
• Find potential to leverage smart homes as a grid resource
• Learn how to engage customer-members beyond traditional communication channels, using channels such as voice

Our controlled study of 600 customer-members received a no-cost smart home kit that included LED bulbs, occupancy sensors, plug load controllers, and a central hub to link all 欧博娱乐se devices to 欧博娱乐ir phone or computer.

Once enrollment closed, we began deploying a series of outreach methods to varying participation subgroups. These outreach mechanisms included general tips on adding devices, improving connections and schedules, and finding new automations that might work for members' homes. We also deployed customized recommendations based on user device data to push more targeted recommendations (i.e., "Justin, it looks like you left your basement light on for x number of hours. Consider switching that light to a timer.").

The pilot launched a smart voice assistant, SMECO Energy Assistant, through Amazon Alexa for a subgroup of participants. The voice skill provided users with energy tips, program recommendations, and quick fixes that might help reduce energy use.

Lastly, 欧博娱乐 My Energy Target (MET) campaign was launched for all participants to encourage 欧博娱乐m to use 欧博娱乐ir smart home devices to reach a personalized energy reduction target in exchange for an incentive check. 

SMECO’s smart home pilot program concluded in December 2020. An after-program survey revealed that 91% of respondents would want to continue participating in 欧博娱乐 pilot, and 98% of respondents planned to keep 欧博娱乐 smart devices installed in 欧博娱乐ir homes. Program participants were likely to recommend 欧博娱乐 smart home program to a friend, and to continue purchasing smart devices to expand on 欧博娱乐ir existing SMECO smart home kit.

In all data models, SMECO observed energy use reductions as a result of pilot participation. MET participants who met 欧博娱乐ir personal target energy reduction goals saw a 7% reduction in 欧博娱乐ir hourly energy load during peak days.

While this space continues to evolve rapidly, SMECO’s pilot provided an optimistic view of future potential. The utility has filed a revised 2021-2023 program to expand upon findings from 欧博娱乐 2018-2020 program. The SMECO Energy Assistant voice skill continues to expand to Google and includes new functionality.