Smart Grid Fund Electricity Pilot

Findings from Survey 2

Preliminary findings, 8:48am 22may17

Survey 2 was conducted among Hydro One customers who participated in the Smart Grid Fund FlexPlan Electricity Pricing Pilot between April 29, 2017 and May 17, 2017. The survey was programmed in Sawtooth Software Lighthouse v9.3 and was hosted on a server at McMaster University. Email invitations were sent to a soft launch sample of 22 customers on April 29, 2017. The invitations were sent to the remaining sample list on May 4, 2017. The formal online portion of the survey was concluded on May , 2017. Those who had not completed or partially completed the survey by May 17, 2017 were called by telephone to encourage their participation between May 18, 2017 and May , 2017.

Tables of electricity and sample design categories

Disposition of respondents
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
Incomplete 144 17.60 17.60 17.60
Complete 674 82.40 82.40 100.00
missings 0 0.00
total N=818 · valid N=818 · x̄=1.82 · σ=0.38
egroup
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
Experiment: No feedback 286 34.96 34.96 34.96
Experiment: IHD, No Energate 227 27.75 27.75 62.71
Experiment: IHD + PlotWatt, No Energate 223 27.26 27.26 89.98
Control: No feedback 33 4.03 4.03 94.01
Control: IHD, No Energate 22 2.69 2.69 96.70
Control: IHD + PlotWatt, No Energate 27 3.30 3.30 100.00
missings 0 0.00
total N=818 · valid N=818 · x̄=2.22 · σ=1.23
group
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
Experiment: No feedback 274 33.50 33.50 33.50
Experiment: IHD, No Energate 216 26.41 26.41 59.90
Experiment: IHD + PlotWatt, No Energate 208 25.43 25.43 85.33
Control: No feedback 33 4.03 4.03 89.36
Control: IHD, No Energate 20 2.44 2.44 91.81
Control: IHD + PlotWatt, No Energate 26 3.18 3.18 94.99
Dropped out of pilot 41 5.01 5.01 100.00
missings 0 0.00
total N=818 · valid N=818 · x̄=2.45 · σ=1.59

Rate Groups

rategroup
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
R1 350 42.79 42.79 42.79
R2 406 49.63 49.63 92.42
UR 62 7.58 7.58 100.00
missings 0 0.00
total N=818 · valid N=818 · x̄=1.65 · σ=0.62

Treatment Groups

treatment
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
H1 TOU 61 7.46 8.29 8.29
TOU1 68 8.31 9.24 17.53
TOU2 70 8.56 9.51 27.04
TOU3 70 8.56 9.51 36.55
TOU4 61 7.46 8.29 44.84
TOU5 62 7.58 8.42 53.26
TOU6 59 7.21 8.02 61.28
VPP/CPP7 55 6.72 7.47 68.75
VPP/CPP8 53 6.48 7.20 75.95
VPP/CPP9 63 7.70 8.56 84.51
VPP/CPP10 53 6.48 7.20 91.71
RTP11 61 7.46 8.29 100.00
missings 82 10.02
total N=818 · valid N=736 · x̄=6.30 · σ=3.46

Customer responses to survey questions

Conservation Efforts
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
Less electricity used 297 36.31 36.58 36.58
About the same electricity 499 61.00 61.45 98.03
More electricity used 16 1.96 1.97 100.00
missings 6 0.73
total N=818 · valid N=812 · x̄=1.65 · σ=0.52

Shifting electricity

Shifting Efforts
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
Yes I have shifted electricity usage 633 77.38 77.96 77.96
No I have not shifted electricity usage 179 21.88 22.04 100.00
missings 6 0.73
total N=818 · valid N=812 · x̄=1.22 · σ=0.41

Efforts expended to save electricity

Efforts expended to save electricity
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
We worked very hard 86 10.51 10.60 10.60
Reasonably hard 446 54.52 54.99 65.60
Only a little 248 30.32 30.58 96.18
We did not work at all to save electricity 31 3.79 3.82 100.00
missings 7 0.86
total N=818 · valid N=811 · x̄=2.28 · σ=0.70

Notifications from McMaster regarding savings

Notifications from McMaster regarding savings
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
Never 85 10.39 11.68 11.68
Once 40 4.89 5.49 17.17
Twice 98 11.98 13.46 30.63
Three times 125 15.28 17.17 47.80
Four times 124 15.16 17.03 64.84
Five times 73 8.92 10.03 74.86
Six times 183 22.37 25.14 100.00
missings 90 11.00
total N=818 · valid N=728 · x̄=4.53 · σ=1.99

Satisfaction with dimensions of the pilot

Satisfaction with amount saved during FlexPlan pilot
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Very Dissatisfied 43 5.26 5.54 5.54
2 34 4.16 4.38 9.92
3 48 5.87 6.19 16.11
4 49 5.99 6.31 22.42
5 132 16.14 17.01 39.43
6 78 9.54 10.05 49.48
7 107 13.08 13.79 63.27
8 111 13.57 14.30 77.58
9 54 6.60 6.96 84.54
10 Very Satisfied 120 14.67 15.46 100.00
missings 42 5.13
total N=818 · valid N=776 · x̄=6.32 · σ=2.60
Satisfaction with FlexPlan electricity pilot overall
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Very Dissatisfied 23 2.81 2.96 2.96
2 27 3.30 3.48 6.44
3 41 5.01 5.28 11.73
4 27 3.30 3.48 15.21
5 100 12.22 12.89 28.09
6 62 7.58 7.99 36.08
7 109 13.33 14.05 50.13
8 142 17.36 18.30 68.43
9 77 9.41 9.92 78.35
10 Very Satisfied 168 20.54 21.65 100.00
missings 42 5.13
total N=818 · valid N=776 · x̄=7.03 · σ=2.50
Satisfaction with management of the FlexPlan electricity pilot by McMaster University
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Very Dissatisfied 17 2.08 2.19 2.19
2 16 1.96 2.06 4.25
3 23 2.81 2.96 7.22
4 27 3.30 3.48 10.70
5 76 9.29 9.79 20.49
6 51 6.23 6.57 27.06
7 105 12.84 13.53 40.59
8 159 19.44 20.49 61.08
9 102 12.47 13.14 74.23
10 Very Satisfied 200 24.45 25.77 100.00
missings 42 5.13
total N=818 · valid N=776 · x̄=7.52 · σ=2.31
Satisfaction with installation procedure at the beginning of the FlexPlan electricity pilot
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Very Dissatisfied 9 1.10 1.83 1.83
2 2 0.24 0.41 2.24
3 11 1.34 2.24 4.47
4 10 1.22 2.03 6.50
5 16 1.96 3.25 9.76
6 24 2.93 4.88 14.63
7 51 6.23 10.37 25.00
8 92 11.25 18.70 43.70
9 97 11.86 19.72 63.41
10 Very Satisfied 180 22.00 36.59 100.00
missings 326 39.85
total N=818 · valid N=492 · x̄=8.28 · σ=2.03
Satisfaction with the ‘FlexPlan Study Monthly Cost and Rebate Report’
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Very Dissatisfied 18 2.20 2.47 2.47
2 19 2.32 2.61 5.08
3 25 3.06 3.43 8.52
4 20 2.44 2.75 11.26
5 78 9.54 10.71 21.98
6 53 6.48 7.28 29.26
7 99 12.10 13.60 42.86
8 126 15.40 17.31 60.16
9 97 11.86 13.32 73.49
10 Very Satisfied 193 23.59 26.51 100.00
missings 90 11.00
total N=818 · valid N=728 · x̄=7.45 · σ=2.40
Satisfaction with the pricing plan used by your household during the FlexPlan Pilot
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Very Dissatisfied 45 5.50 6.18 6.18
2 Somewhat Dissatisfied 60 7.33 8.24 14.42
3 Slightly Dissatisfied 76 9.29 10.44 24.86
4 Slightly Satisfied 146 17.85 20.05 44.92
5 Somewhat Satisfied 268 32.76 36.81 81.73
6 Very Satisfied 133 16.26 18.27 100.00
missings 90 11.00
total N=818 · valid N=728 · x̄=4.28 · σ=1.42
How well did the FlexPlan pilot pricing plan meet your expectations for being able to manage your electricity usage
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Did not meet my expectations at all 55 6.72 6.82 6.82
2 Only slightly met my expectations 90 11.00 11.17 17.99
3 Somewhat met my expectations 188 22.98 23.33 41.32
4 Mostly met my expectations 252 30.81 31.27 72.58
5 Fully met my expectations 185 22.62 22.95 95.53
6 Exceeded my expectations 36 4.40 4.47 100.00
missings 12 1.47
total N=818 · valid N=806 · x̄=3.66 · σ=1.26
Customers were shown their FlexPlan pricing plan at the top of the screen, the current Hydro One pricing plan at the bottom and asked which they prefer
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 I prefer the FlexPlan pricing plan (Top) 570 69.68 82.49 82.49
2 I prefer the current Hydro One pricing plan (Bottom) 121 14.79 17.51 100.00
missings 127 15.53
total N=818 · valid N=691 · x̄=1.18 · σ=0.38
Conservation undertaken: percent of answers
Conservation actions n, responses raw % responses valid % responses cumulative % responses
Switched to more energy efficient or low wattage light bulbs 605 28.7 28.7 28.7
Switched to more energy efficient appliances 294 14.0 14.0 42.7
Installed lighting control products 237 11.3 11.3 53.9
Installed flow restricting shower head(s) 191 9.1 9.1 63.0
Retrofitted air-sealing 177 8.4 8.4 71.4
Upgraded your windows 151 7.2 7.2 78.6
Other 130 6.2 6.2 84.8
Insulated your ceilings, floors or walls 121 5.7 5.7 90.5
None 77 3.7 3.7 94.2
Installed water heater insulation 75 3.6 3.6 97.7
Installed programmable thermostats for electric baseboards 48 2.3 2.3 100.0
missings 0 0.0
total N=2106 · valid N=2106 · x̄=6.9 · σ=3.3

Sex
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Male 405 49.51 53.43 53.43
2 Female 353 43.15 46.57 100.00
missings 60 7.33
total N=818 · valid N=758 · x̄=1.47 · σ=0.50
2016 total household income before taxes
value N raw % valid % cumulative %
1 Under $20,000 25 3.06 3.35 3.35
2 $20,000 to $39,999 75 9.17 10.05 13.40
3 $40,000 to $59,999 122 14.91 16.35 29.76
4 $60,000 to $79,999 110 13.45 14.75 44.50
5 $80,000 to $99,999 113 13.81 15.15 59.65
6 $100,000 to $124,999 115 14.06 15.42 75.07
7 $125,000 to $150,000 70 8.56 9.38 84.45
8 Over $150,000 116 14.18 15.55 100.00
missings 72 8.80
total N=818 · valid N=746 · x̄=4.90 · σ=2.04