The US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced today that the Consumer Price Index for all items rose 0.6% in January. For electricity specifically, the index rose an alarming 4.2%. Between January 2021 and January 2022, the energy index increased 27.0% (figure 1).
Energy use has changed dramatically since the onset of COVID-19. Office buildings have sat vacant and residents have been sequestered at home for months. The ANB Systems summary of the Covid-19 EIA Energy Consumption Forecast For 2020 estimates that electricity consumption will decrease 5.7% and daily average natural gas usage will decrease 3.6% compared to 2019.
This has been an interesting and different year, to say the least. In the spring we watched as event after event went virtual and we made the same difficult decision at the end of April to move the 2020 E Source Forum to a fully online format. Our industry experts have worked tirelessly to develop sessions that offer the relevant, data-driven content E Source Forum veterans have come to know and expect. But in light of what’s happened this year, our session themes look a bit different.
People often shop around for the cheapest gasoline in town. You can see them scanning gas station signs for the lowest per-gallon price. As the electric vehicle (EV) market matures, consumers are going to be sensitive how much it will cost to “fill up” their EVs.
With the US on the precipice of an eviction crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a moratorium on evictions until the end of the year. While this directive keeps some Americans housed for now, it’s superficial relief that doesn’t address the root cause of the crisis: the inability of many Americans to pay rent and utilities.
Smart home devices have the potential to reduce energy consumption, manage demand, support time-of-use rate structures, and share valuable energy data with customers, among other benefits. And while we’ve seen widespread success with smart thermostats in utility programs, other smart home options have seen limited adoption.
Education. Networking. Fun. All of these words can be used to describe why people attend the E Source Forum year after year, but this year will look a bit different. We’re disappointed that we won’t get to see you in person in Denver, but we’re excited about the event we’ve designed this year and hope our virtual platform will feel as much like an in-person event as possible.
The best tools save you time and help you do your job better. That’s why we’ve rebuilt our powerful E Source DSM Insights and E Source Measure Insights tools with simpler layouts for easier navigation, so now you can find exactly the data you need faster than ever before.
What is it? DSM Insights is an an information super-tool, loaded with the latest demand-side management (DSM) program and portfolio performance data.
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