Ninth-annual Smart Energy Summit addresses diffusion of smart home products, DR programs, and consumer engagement strategies

Parks Associates today announced the topics and 2018 Advisory Board for the ninth-annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, held February 19-21, 2018, at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown in Austin, Texas. The executive conference focuses on energy efficiency, demand response, and home energy management solutions for consumers and the new opportunities for providers, energy management companies, home control platforms and services, and emerging connected devices.

Research from Parks Associates indicates that 70% of smart device owners believe energy-related smart devices help reduce energy consumption. “Energy providers recognize the potential benefits of incorporating smart products into their energy efficiency and DR programs. Most of the integration efforts are geared at reducing the friction for consumers to acquire these products and participate in their programs," said Tom Kerber, Director of IoT Strategy, Parks Associates. “We are grateful for the participation and insight from our Advisory Board for the upcoming Smart Energy Summit.”

Advisory Board Members:

• Amena Ali, CRO, Whisker Labs
• Ben Bixby, GM, Energy and Safety, Nest Labs
• Chris Carradine, EVP, Business Development, ecobee
• Jason Cigarran, Director, Marketing Communications, Itron
• Chris DeSchamp, Director, Customer Solutions Development, Vectren
• Seth Frader-Thompson, President, EnergyHub
• Brendan Hanna, Head, Technology Innovation, National Grid
• Brad Langley, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing, Tendril
• Wayne Morrison, Principal, Smart Energy and Emerging Technology, Reliant
• Roy Perry, VP, Ecosystem Alliances, Alarm.com
• Justin Segall, President & Founder, Simple Energy
• Mike Tinskey, Global Director, Connected Vehicle & Emerging Services, Ford
• Dr. Kenneth Wacks, President, Home, Building, and Utility Systems

"As the value proposition for utilities to participate in efficiency and DR programs continue to evolve, it's more important than ever to find ways to easily and meaningfully engage customers in these programs,” said Ben Bixby, General Manager of Energy and Safety, Nest Labs. “I'm excited to share what we've learned at Nest and to hear from others in the industry who have seen success through innovative efforts."

“Vectren is excited to continue working with Parks Associates to help advance the smart home space as it relates to energy,” said Chris DeSchamp, Director, Customer Solutions Development, Vectren.

“The proliferation of distributed energy resources such as connected thermostats, electric vehicles, and rooftop solar are significantly changing the way utilities manage the grid,” said Seth Frader-Thompson, President of EnergyHub. “Smart Energy Summit is a great event for industry leaders to come together and share real data and feedback from consumers on how we can continue to evolve and improve their experience.”

"The Smart Energy Summit gives utilities, device manufacturers and service providers the rare opportunity to all come together at an event and holistically plan for the future of the energy industry," said Brad Langley, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing, Tendril. "Facilitating a cross-functional environment to converse with and learn from this diverse group is important to the success of the burgeoning energy ecosystem and for that reason I am thrilled to be joining the Smart Energy Summit Advisory Board."

“Customers continue to look for better ways to manage and take control of their energy use and more are considering ways to generate their own energy. Reliant powers, protects and simplifies customer’s lives by providing them options to control and access their power wherever they are,” said Wayne Morrison, principal of smart energy and emerging technology at Reliant.

"The connected home not only gives utility customers control over their energy use but also makes them a critical part of the broader energy ecosystem," said Justin Segall, President & Founder, Simple Energy. "The utility of the future will learn how to benefit from this new energy consumer by delivering them personalized, meaningful experiences that create value from these different enabling technologies.

“The Smart Energy Summit is an excellent venue for energy-service providers, including utilities, and consumer product developers to learn about customer preferences and market trends,” said Dr. Kenneth Wacks, a Smart Energy Summit Advisory Board member. “Customers are becoming prosumers as they generate power locally with wind and solar. This opens business opportunities for DER (distributed energy resources) and transactive energy products. This conference has consistently delivered actionable data for strategic planning by combining reports from Parks Associates market research with insights from an impressive roster of industry speakers.”

At Smart Energy Summit, more than 300 industry leaders from utilities, service providers, manufacturers, and technology companies will participate in panel discussions about the impact of direct consumer participation in energy markets and strategies to increase consumer engagement in demand response, distributed generation, and energy efficiency offerings. Topics include:

• Smart Home and Energy Efficiency: Adoption and Innovative Business Models
  • Incentivizing the Smart Thermostat Adoption: New Business Models
  • Moving Beyond Smart Thermostats: Creating Energy Efficiency Solutions
  • Energy Monitoring Applications: New Revenue Opportunities


• Smart Home and Demand Response: Impacting Consumer Behavior
  • Innovation in Thermostat Demand Response
  • Connecting the Smart Home to DR Programs
  • Engaging Consumers: TOU and Behavior DR


• Home Energy Management: Ecosystem Players and Partnerships
  • Managing the Grid, DER
  • Rooftop Solar and the Smart Home: What the Future Holds
  • Residential Battery Storage and EVs
  • Net Zero Homes and the Evolution of Home Energy Management
  • Energy Providers: Defining the Role in Home Energy Management

Parks Associatesis accepting speaking submissions for Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer at www.parksassociates.com/ses-speaker. More information about the Smart Energy Summit is available at www.SES2018.com. To schedule an interview or to request data, contact Julia Homier at julia.homier@parksassociates.com, 972.996.0214.

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.