Hydro Ottawa leverages behavioural science principles to encourage energy efficiency in new program

OTTAWA, July 28, 2015 /CNW/ - Hydro Ottawa is empowering residential customers to conserve energy on hot summer days with its latest initiative that uses gamification techniques – the first of its kind in Canada.

The Summer Saving Day pilot program runs until September and encourages customers to save electricity in their home through sending usage data, a comparative analysis of similar neighbours and personalized tips on ways to lower demand on designated days.

Hydro Ottawa is collaborating with Opower, a global leader in cloud-based software for the utility industry, and the Ontario Ministry of Energy, which is funding the program through its Smart Grid Fund.

Quick facts

• 50,000 customers were randomly chosen to voluntarily participate in the Summer Saving Day pilot program.
• After a Summer Saving Day, Hydro Ottawa will notify participants how much electricity they used and show their consumption ranked against about 100 neighbours.
• The notifications have been proven to help households effectively save energy.
• Opower has seen a three percent decrease in energy demand across 10 similar events with three utilities, and 74 percent customer satisfaction.

Quotes

"We're always looking for new ways to help our customers manage their accounts and energy use – and the more exciting we can make it, the better. Using gamification elements will hopefully inspire them to take positive action as it has shown to in the past."
-Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer

"Opower's software-based approach to energy efficiency drives a lot of value for customers by engaging them in real-time opportunities to save energy and money on their monthly bills. The behavioral demand response solution Hydro Ottawa is using for Summer Saving Day empowers their customers with the information they need to reduce consumption at the moments that matter."
-Opower CEO Dan Yates

About Hydro Ottawa

Hydro Ottawa's core businesses are delivering electricity, generating renewable power and providing energy conservation/management services. Hydro Ottawa is a community-owned, private company, delivering electricity to more than 319,500 customers in Ottawa and Casselman. It is the largest municipally owned producer of green power in the province, with hydroelectric and landfill gas-to-energy generating facilities, and offers an extensive range of energy management services to a wide variety of customers. Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. (Hydro Ottawa) owns and operates two subsidiary companies, Hydro Ottawa Limited and Energy Ottawa Inc.

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SOURCE Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.

Rebecca Hickey, Supervisor, Media and Public Affairs, Hydro Ottawa, Tel: [phone] ext. 145, [email protected]