Home Energy Reports (HERs) have been a staple of many utility’s energy efficiency programs for years. They drive behavioral savings, boost energy efficient product purchases, and drive meaningful engagement—while also acting as a launchpad for other demand-side management (DSM) programs. One U.S. utility has leveraged email Home Energy Reports (eHERs) as a strategic pathway to building demand-side flexibility to support grid reliability and energy affordability.
Leveraging eHERs to Promote Programs
Launched in 2022, the utility’s opt-in eHERs program provides personalized energy insights to customers based on usage data, including hourly consumption patterns and usage breakdowns, to help customers better understand and save on their bills.
Importantly, the reports also serve as a gateway to the utility’s demand response program offerings and a variety of energy efficiency rebates, with 40-47% of email clicks each month directing customers to their Home Profile portal for personalized recommendations.
The eHERs program has achieved impressive customer engagement rates. With 21,000+ enrolled customers at the end of 2025, the program saw a 71% email open rate—doubling the utility industry benchmark of 34.4%—while maintaining a 94% customer satisfaction rating.
Customer feedback reinforces these numbers, with survey responses noting: “Appreciate the information and tips!” and “Helpful report, thank you for providing this.”
Turning Engagement into Enrollments and Impact
The utility’s broader demand-side program portfolio is supported by eHER-driven awareness and recruitment, and the demand response (DR) program has seen especially strong enrollment and performance results.
The DR program, launched in 2019, offers customers a $50 Visa gift card for enrollment—providing both rebated smart thermostats for purchase and bring your own device options—and an additional $25 each season that customers participate.
The Program:
- Reached 37,700+ enrolled devices by the end of 2025—exceeding the year-end goal by 111%.
- Averaged 20.5 MW of load shift per hour during winter events and 36.8 MW during the 2025 summer season, which saw intense heatwaves.
- Leveraged Predictive Capacity Dispatch to deliver 36 MW of capacity with 97% forecasting accuracy.
- Reached 94% customer satisfaction rates during the winter demand response season and 89% during the summer months, despite multiple event calls during peak heat.
As utilities nationwide seek to scale demand-side resources, this utility’s strategy offers a clear roadmap: invest in customer engagement, deliver consistent value through personalized insights, and build customer trust to drive participation in programs. The results speak for themselves—high satisfaction, strong enrollment, and megawatts when the grid needs them most.
