OGE Energy Corp, Tendril, Bidgely, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association, and DTE Energy speak at Parks Associates’ seventh-annual Smart Energy Summit

Parks Associates announced today that consumers are less familiar with energy programs than they were at the end of 2014, reporting particular declines in awareness of energy monitoring products and tax incentives for energy-saving programs. The research firm’s 4Q 2015 survey of U.S. broadband households found 19% are very familiar with tax incentives and 11% are very familiar with energy management/monitoring products, both of which are lower than 2014 levels.

“Ownership of smart home devices is trending upward, which creates an opportunity for utilities and service providers to leverage these products to build awareness for related energy programs,” said Tom Kerber, Director, Research, Home Controls & Energy, Parks Associates. "These efforts could include strategic partnerships and new marketing programs to drive adoption. At the Smart Energy Summit, we will examine strategies to increase consumer awareness of energy solutions in the smart home and consumer IoT.”

The firm will host the seventh-annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin Texas, February 22-24, 2016. The conference addresses adoption trends for smart home and energy management products, usage of energy efficiency and DR programs, and the integration of IoT technologies with existing utility programs.

The event features the following keynotes:

• Seth Frader-Thompson, President, EnergyHub
•  Elizabeth Killinger, President of NRG Retail and Reliant, NRG
•  Paul Campbell, VP Innovation / Head of Silicon Valley Innovation Center, Schneider Electric

Two sessions, “Success Stories in Energy Management” and “Unlocking the Value of Energy Usage Data,” will share new approaches to marketing, installation, and partnerships regarding innovative energy saving programs as well as the different value-added services derived from energy data.

Success Stories in Energy Management, February 23 at 9:00 A.M., features the following speakers:

• Harry Emerson, Smart Grid/SmartHours Program, Director, Product Development, OGE Energy Corp
• David Grant, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Tendril
• Steve Nisbet, VP - External Relations & Power Solutions, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association

“How do we increase consumer adoption of energy programs and products? That’s a key question that will be tackled at Parks Associates’ Smart Energy Summit.” said Dave Grant, SVP of Sales and Marketing, Tendril. "Tendril customers have achieved great success employing our data analytics software to target the right consumer at the right time with personalized energy experiences, thereby improving program efficacy. I look forward to sharing these insights and best practices at this year's summit."

Unlocking the Value of Energy Usage Data, February 23 at 11:00 A.M., features the following speakers:

• Steve Nguyen, Head of Marketing, Bidgely
• Emmett Romine, General Manager Insight & Demand Side Management, DTE Energy

Customers who actively use the DTE Insight features and install the DTE Energy Bridge are reducing their energy usage by 5 to 10 percent, according to Emmett Romine, General Manager, DTE Energy Management Tools.

“We are pleased by the positive feedback from customers who are learning more about their personal energy usage and making changes that save them money," Romine said. "The DTE Insight tool is just one of the many ways that we help educate our customers about energy efficiency."

Sponsors for Smart Energy Summit include Tendril, Honeywell, Affinegy, Alarm.com, ecobee, PlanetEcosystems, WeatherBug Home, WSI, Z-Wave, DTE Energy/Powerley, Schneider Electric, State Farm, Tyco, and WattzOn.

Platinum supporters are Advanced Energy Economy and Greentech Media. Event supporters include Antenna Systems & Technology, Conference Guru, FierceEnergy, GreenButton Alliance, HomePlug Alliance, HomeToys, ISEA, IoT Today, KNX Today, NEEP, Open Interconnect Consortium, OpenADR Alliance, Remote Site & Equipment Management magazine, SmartGridNews, TD The Market Publishers, Utility Dive.

More speakers will be announced soon; visit the Smart Energy Summit agendafor the latest updates. More information about the Smart Energy Summit is available at www.SES2016.com. To request specific research data, contact Holly Sprague at hsprague@gmail.com or 720-987-6614.

About Smart Energy Summit

Parks Associates’ 15th annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer is co-located with DISTRIBUTECH 2024 on February 27-28 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.  Smart Energy Summit addresses energy and renewables technology trends in the residential and small-to-medium business markets.

Industry players join expert panels and networking sessions to address the expansion and monetization of energy management and other energy-focused offerings through consumer engagement, new business models, unique partnerships, and innovative technologies.

The conference also features 2024 virtual sessions January 23, July 23, and October 10. Follow the event on Twitter/X at @SmartEnergySmt and #SmartEnergy24. For information on speaking, sponsoring, or attending Smart Energy Summit, visit www.smartenergysmt.com.