FAQ

Date: April 2020

Since 2012, OG&E’s SmartHours has been one of the most successful residential rate-based demand response programs in North America, encouraging customers to shift peak load and thereby avoid incremental fossil fuel generation. Given their continued success, but notable costs of utility-owned thermostats, OG&E sought to explore how existing participants would respond to a smart thermostat that could be purchased, installed, and maintained by customers while still on OG&E’s variable peak pricing SmartHours rate.

During this session, you hear how OG&E’s smart thermostat pilot explored a multitude of questions, including:

• Is it possible to attain the same level of demand response without the investment of a utility-owned thermostat?
• How did existing participants engage with the smart thermostat?
• What were the pain points, if any, associated with switching to the new smart thermostat?
• How can OG&E leverage the findings to add value for Smart Hours participants in the smart home space?

Speakers:
Jessica King, OG&E
Kelly Marrin, Applied Energy Group

Note: Recording starts at 43:42.