Benefits

Financial Benefits

All participants will receive participation payments totaling $120: half at the beginning of the pilot and half at the end. 

Our goal for Option A participants is to accrue savings totaling 5% of their electricity bills. Option A participants choosing a 4-degree offset will receive an additional $10 per month on their SMUD bill, while those choosing a 2-degree offset will receive an additional $5 per month on their SMUD bill. 

Our goal for Option B participants is to accrue savings totaling 10% of their electricity bills. 

Equipment

All participants will receive a free thermostat worth $200 plus free installation (and removal, if desired). The thermostat will notify customers of critical events, and can be programmed to pre-cool the building before events. Option A thermostats will automatically increase setpoints during critical events, and will allow the user to override this increase one time (out of 12 event days) during the course of the experiment.  Option B participants can program the thermostat to respond to events as they see fit and settings can be changed at any time. 

Information and Support

HMG researchers will work with participants to design an ideal strategy for implementing efficiency and peak load reduction strategies.

Participants will receive SMUD program and rebate information tailored to participating small businesses. 

Public Service Recognition

Recognition as contributing to the community is an important co-benefit for many small businesses. To help your customers understand and recognize your contribution, two placards will be available. One placard will be for everyday use, indicating that you are a SMUD partner. The other will be to display during events, to explain why lights are dimmed or the interior temperatures are slightly warmer than usual.

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Please contact Josh Rasin or Karen Herter for more information.