Page 81 - North American Clean Energy March/April 2019 Issue

weekends (when they’re most likely to be charging their EVs)? e answer to everything is yes. In Texas, where the vast majority of the population has access to retail electricity choice, consumers and businesses are taking control of their energy usage. at’s because smart energy usage translates directly into savings—both economic and environmental.
e World Economic Forum reports that energy consumption contributes to roughly two-thirds
of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. is means that, in order to make a meaningful impact on climate change, we must transform the way that we produce and consume energy. One of the most economic and inclusive actions toward energy transformation is energy e ciency. A lot of press
is given to renewable energy development and a new, clean,
and modern infrastructure. But a sizeable portion of the solution is as easy as becoming better stewards of the resources we use.
Behavioral change en masse
is typically slow moving. Today’s tools take the e ort and guess work out of living a sustainable energy lifestyle through automation. Smart home devices like thermostats
and AI assistants simplify energy conservation by learning user habits and adjusting accordingly; you no longer have to remember whether or not you turned all the lights o when you left the house because your digital assistant knows when you leave for work, and can do it for you. By e ectively expediting what could take years of consumer education in order to achieve one small change, the collective impact can be great.
For consumers that choose to
be more deliberate about their electricity usage, devices can take the guesswork out of interpreting their energy data through a simple user interface. Armed with an intimate knowledge of their power, customers are able to customize the plans and solutions that best suit their lifestyle. After all, an EV owner’s electricity pro le will look very di erent from
a retiree or a family with a number
of young children—why should they all buy electricity in the same way? From enrolling in demand response programs that reward customers
for curtailing their usage when the grid is under stress,
to selecting xed-rate or time-of-use plans, having foundational knowledge of how much power you’re using, and when, can unlock new possibilities.
e power sector is evolving to become increasingly decarbonized, decentralized, and customized. As a consumer, you should be taking full advantage of the new, modern era of power. ere’s potential where electricity meets technology, and all of it is for your bene t.
Bruno Sarda is Vice President of Sustainability for NRG Energy, a Fortune 500 company serving nearly 3 million residential and commercial customers through a portfolio of retail electricity brands. Sarda is also a faculty member and Senior Sustainability Scholar at Arizona State University, where he teaches sustainability leadership to graduate and executive students.
NRG Energy /// www.nrg.com
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