A recent study by EcoAlign testing 1,000 consumers’ awarenwess indicates that consumers know green energy-related terms are positive, but less than one-third could correctly match the terms to their definitions. Also, fewer consumers chose correct definitions than those who were questioned in the first EcoPinion survey in October 2007.
Green Biz Reports:
In this year's survey, 80 percent chose the correct definition for "clean energy." But that's a drop from 86 percent getting it right in 2007. The same thing happened with the definition for "demand response." Sixty-nine percent got it right in 2009, but 73 percent got it right in 2007.
When it came to other terms like "peak pricing," "budget billing," "flat pricing," "time of use pricing" and "fuel supply pricing," consumers were either very knowledgeable about what the terms meant or were practically clueless about them.
The report suggests that, due to consumer misunderstanding of some terms, to stop using industry terms like "demand response" and "peak pricing" when communicating with consumers. Even though those concepts are important when it comes to the smart grid, consumers did not understand them and even made negative associations with them.
The report also finds that consumers could use some education when it comes to understanding the benefits of the smart grid. When asked to identify who or what they think will benefit the most from the smart grid, 31 percent of those surveyed said the environment would. And when asked to identify who would benefit the least, consumers said government, residential consumers and utilities would reap the fewest rewards from smart grid investments.
What does all of this mean?
It means make sure you talk to the lowest common denominator—speak to the people who least understand to ensure everyone gets it, especially if trying to appeal to the masses.
Colette Chandler
Helping You Understand and Profit from Consumer Health and Green Trends
