The COVID-19 pandemic caused many residential customers’ energy usage to increase substantially, and during this time Consumers Energy looked for a way to help their customers save energy and money while also reaching their own clean energy goals. The Michigan utility’s Clean Energy Plan aims to eliminate coal and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040–not an easy task!

Consumers Energy quickly thought creatively, partnering with Uplight and Google to provide free Google Nest smart thermostats to up to 100,000 households with demand response (DR) pre-enrollment. Demand response pre-enrollment results in 4X enrollments compared to bring your own device programs–enabling more Michigan households to save! Other DR-enabled thermostats are also currently available with discounts and incentives.

As a partner of Uplight’s since 2016, Consumers Energy utilized Uplight’s Marketplace, HERs, and Orchestrated Energy products – along with the unique feature of automated demand response pre-enrollment that integrates the two products – to provide a connected, customer-centric experience and help them meet their ambitious clean energy targets. With these solutions already in place, the utility was able to derive even more value by connecting them.

These smart thermostats help customers save an average of 10-15% on their energy bills each year. Additionally, they can shift usage away at times of peak demand–building an ongoing relationship with customers who participate. With Consumers’ DR program, these households have the potential to collectively reduce demand by 14 MW or more during the summer season, all while maintaining comfort and saving money.

Consumers Energy has created a seamless, connected customer experience that helps customers save money and energy by providing free thermostats alongside an easy demand response enrollment–enabling the utility to continue to engage their customers as they achieve their ambitious clean energy targets, and get to 100,000.