American and British Consumers Are Highly Receptive to Smart Grid Technology Concept
A recent study gauging U.S. and UK consumer awareness and attitudes towards Smart Grid Technology found that while most were previously unfamiliar with Smart Grid technology, once exposed to a description of Smart Grid Technology, respondents in both countries were receptive to the idea of Smart Grid.
A study gauging U.S. and UK consumer awareness and attitudes towards Smart Grid Technology found that while most were previously unfamiliar with Smart Grid technology (74% in the U.S. and 90% in the UK), once exposed to a description of Smart Grid Technology, respondents in both countries were receptive to the idea of Smart Grid. Three in five respondents in both the U.S. (64%) and UK (60%) would change their electricity consumption behavior with the adoption of Smart Grid according to a poll conducted by Ipsos for GE.
- Half of those surveyed in the U.S. (52%) and over one third in the UK (38%) are willing to pay an increased 5% monthly rate for smart grid technology if there is a corresponding reduction in overall energy costs by 15%.
- 72% in the U.S. and 58% in the UK who claim to be extremely/very committed to an environmentally friendly lifestyle would sign up for Smart Grid.
- Over two in five feel Smart Grid would solve a problem or fulfill a need for them (52% in the U.S. and 43% in the UK).
Consistent with the intention to change their energy consumption, the majority of consumers surveyed in both countries intend to monitor their energy usage online.
- 60% of those surveyed in the U.S. and 58% in the UK definitely/probably would monitor their energy consumption online. Furthermore seven in ten in both countries (71% in the U.S. and 65% in the UK) are likely to monitor their consumption at least once a week.
Consumers want to learn more about Smart Grid Technology in terms of availability, functionality, and cost implications.
- Pricing details top additional information desired: 73% of those surveyed in the U.S. and UK said they would like more information about Smart Grid pricing.
The concept of Smart Grid Technology was presented to all respondents with examples of smart grid technologies in the home (smart meters, smart energy panels, and smart appliances) and a detailed description of benefits, including access to more accurate data and knowledge about electricity pricing, ways to save money and lower one's environmental footprint and better detecting and managing outages.
Technical Note
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted June 26th - June 30th, 2009. For this survey, a US national sample of 1,093 adults and a UK national sample of 1,034 adults aged 18 and older from Ipsos' online panel were interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the U.S. and UK adult populations and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe.
A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire adult population of the United States or the United Kingdom had been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.
