OPOWER

Minnesota is leading the U.S. in information-based energy efficiency, states a recent article from Business Wire. Ten Minnesota energy utilities are now participating in Opower.   As a “multi-channel customer engagement platform,” Opower delivers energy efficiency gains and other strategic benefits to its utility partners on a sustainable basis.

Opower currently works with close to 60 utilities across the United States and in the UK. Since its founding, Opower estimates it has driven more than 420 GWh in energy savings, cumulatively saving consumers more than $37 million in energy bills.

“Home Energy Reports are effective because they empower people to make small changes that don’t adversely affect their lifestyle, but make a significant difference in energy savings,” said Bruce Sayler, Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Conservation at Connexus Energy based in Ramsey, MN. “It’s a pragmatic and highly cost-effective way for us to help customers save energy and money on a large scale.”

Other utilities in Minnesota providing customers with access to Home Energy Reports include Austin Utilities, CenterPoint Energy, Lake Country Power, Minnesota Energy Resources, Otter Tail Power Company, Owatonna Public Utilities, Rochester Public Utilities, and Xcel Energy.

“Minnesota has emerged as the leading U.S. example of how energy efficiency, combined with technology innovation, can generate positive results for consumers. The legislature enacted an ambitious energy efficiency goal, and the utilities in the state have embraced information-based energy efficiency programs as a key way to achieve those goals,” said Alex Laskey, Founder and President of Opower. “With the existing programs in place, Minnesota is already saving enough energy to take a town the size of Owatonna off the grid for a full year – tremendous savings that delay the need for new power generation.”

Are you currently using Opower?  Let us know how it’s going.