DTE Energy Launches Home Energy Report Pilot Program

DETROIT -- DTE Energy recently launched the Home Energy Report program, an energy efficiency program designed to help residential customers save money.

The pilot program gives consumers information about their energy use so that they can make informed choices about their energy usage.

In July, DTE Energy mailed the detailed information about household energy usage to 50,000 randomly selected customers. It was the first of several reports that select residential customers will receive, that show individual home usage over time. The reports anonymously compare household energy usage with homes of similar size and makeup in their neighborhoods.

The Home Energy Reports provide customers with customized no-cost, low-cost and long-term energy efficiency options, by taking into account individual housing details such as age, size and type of homes. The reports also allow residential customers to make energy-reduction choices and track the effectiveness of their energy saving steps over time.

"The program has proven to be extremely effective, as it gives our residential customers a meaningful understanding of their energy usage," said Vicki Campbell, director of energy efficiency with DTE Energy. "By providing the tools customers need to save energy and money, the Home Energy Report Pilot Program is one more way that DTE Energy is serving its customers and community."

DTE Energy is working with Opower to administer the Home Energy Reports program. Opower is an Arlington, Va.-based energy information company that uses behavioral science and targeted communications to motivate customers, increase engagement and verify sustained energy savings

According to DTE Energy, the program is expected to deliver between 1.5 and 3.5 percent in average energy savings to utility customers. In fact, by mid-2012, DTE Energy is on track to save customers $1.2 million in energy bills. This is the equivalent of taking 1000 homes off of the grid.

Gerry Roston, a DTE Energy customer in Saline, called the home energy report "fantastic. It provides customers with a solid understanding of their actual energy usage. Comparisons to comparable situations is the best metric there is."

DTE Energy plans to expand this program to other customers over the next few years depending on the success of the initial pilot.

For more information on how to save energy, please visit www.dteenergy.com/saveenergy