Five percent of US internet households, or roughly six million households, own a smart electrical panel and have interest in energy-efficient solutions at home

Parks Associates and Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) today announced a partnership for DISTRIBUTECH, hosted in Dallas, March 24-27 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center.  Parks Associates’ latest research shows continued consumer demand for more energy-efficient solutions and coordination between devices in the home, including analytics and control capabilities.  In Parks Associates’ first-time testing, 5% of US internet households – or roughly six million households – reported owning a smart electrical panel that allows them to control circuits from their phone and save on energy costs.

With both organizations focused on the consumer energy markets, Parks Associates and SECC are highlighting the important role these markets play for distributed energy management. The partnership highlights the opportunity to support the role of consumer markets in the larger utility and energy distribution markets.

“The introduction of smart panels marks a transformative shift in home controls, coupled with the integration of data analytics,” said Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein, VP, Marketing, Parks Associates. “Households can efficiently manage energy usage, optimize resource allocation, and enhance overall living comfort through informed decision-making based on insightful data analysis.”

Parks Associates will host its 16th annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer on March 25-26, featuring experts from utilities and energy providers, energy management platforms and analytics companies, and hardware companies representing thermostats, solar and battery, and other distributed energy resources. The event is sponsored by Schneider Electric, SkyBell, Universal Electronics, Savant, Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), and NRG.

Jason McGrade, Deputy Director, Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative, will participate on the panel session “Marketing Energy Programs to Consumers: Engaging for Sustainable Choices” on Tuesday, March 25, at 1 PM.

SECC will host the 2025 Consumer Symposium on March 24 at DISTRIBUTECH. SECC’s 14th annual event focuses on residential and small-business customers and their relationships with electrification, the smart grid, renewable energy, smart home technologies, and related utility programs and services. The one-day program will feature speakers from GridX, CPS Energy, Con Edison, Oracle, Vistra, Consumers Energy, and many other industry leaders.

Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO, Parks Associates, will participate on the panel session “Serving Small Businesses” on Monday, March 24, at 3:30 PM.

“Together with Parks Associates, we are bringing unparalleled insights on residential and small business customers and smart energy technologies to DISTRIBUTECH,” said Nathan Shannon, President & CEO, SECC. “We encourage utility leaders to join us at both co-located events to gain actionable takeaways to advance the customer-centric energy transition.”

Registration for both events is through the DISTRIBUTECH Website.

About Smart Energy Summit

The 16th annual Smart Energy Summit, co-located with DISTRIBUTECH and organized by Parks Associates, brings together leaders and innovators from the energy, smart home, and technology industries to explore the future of energy management, renewable energy adoption, and grid modernization. The summit provides a platform for industry professionals to engage in discussions, hear trending industry and consumer data, network and collaborate with peers.

The 2025 summit is held March 25-26 in Room D162/164 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Center in Dallas and will focus on integrating smart energy solutions, leveraging AI and IoT for home energy management, and tackling the challenges of demand response and grid orchestration.

Follow #SmartEnergy25 on Parks Associates’ LinkedIn. For information on speaking, sponsoring, or attending Smart Energy Summit, visit www.smartenergysmt.com.

About the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC)

The Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to learn the wants and needs of energy consumers in North America, encourages the collaborative sharing of best practices in consumer engagement among industry stakeholders, and educates the public about the benefits of smart energy and energy technology. To learn more, visit www.smartenergycc.org or follow on LinkedIn.