The Green Hedge
Could Fixed-Priced Offerings Revolutionize Green Pricing Programs?
May 16, 2007
Renewable energy has a unique feature among energy sources: inherent price stability. This report describes hedge products and why they might signal a new wave of interest in green pricing.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: GE-F-13 | Author: Jeff Anthony, Barry Friedman
The Bionic Green Pricing Program: We Can Rebuild It (and It Won’t Cost $6 Million)
December 1, 2006
After a decade of voluntary renewable energy purchase programs, many green pricing program managers seem far from satisfied, so the most successful programs relentlessly continue to seek the right mix of tactics that will finally lift their program into the broader cultural conversation. To help inaugurate ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-12 | Author: Barry Friedman
Essential Elements of the Green Pricing Program Web Page
October 1, 2006
E source has researched and evaluated the best practices for green pricing web sites, and in this report we provide recommendations for improving your site’s navigation, usability, and content. Web necessities for green pricing programs are spelled out: how to write a compelling set of benefits, how ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-11 | Author: Anne Peters, Barry Friedman
Trends in Marketing Renewable Energy: 2006 Benchmarking Study
June 1, 2006
In March and April 2006, E Source conducted its fifth annual online survey of green energy program managers and marketers at utilities in the United States and Canada. In all, 33 programs responded to our survey, providing data on their marketing activities for calendar year 2005. The main purpose of ...
Content type: Research, Research Brief | Document ID: GE-RB-5 | Author: Barry Friedman
The Unsung Bill Insert: What Can Green Pricing Programs Expect from This Stalwart?
February 1, 2006
Because of bill inserts’ role in building and sustaining green pricing programs, we asked green pricing program managers whether residential bill insert response rates are likely to decline over the life of a green pricing program. The answer is a qualified yes. Countervailing factors that tend to ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-10 | Author: Barry Friedman
Inbound Telemarketing for Green Pricing Programs: How SMUD Energized Its Call Center Reps to Think Green
September 1, 2005
In 2003, Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD’s) program to encourage green pricing sales within its inbound residential customer call center reached achievement levels that opened the eyes of green pricing program managers around the country. Though sales have slowed down to some extent, ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-9 | Author: Barry Friedman
Dear Customer: Using a Simple Letter to Generate Green Signups
July 1, 2005
Though only a few green pricing programs have experimented with using simple letters to the customer instead of more-expensive brochures in their direct response campaigns, those that have are seeing excellent response rates. This simple, direct approach may be on the brink of graduating from “experiment” ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-8 | Author: Barry Friedman
Trends in Marketing Renewable Energy: 2005 Benchmarking Study
May 1, 2005
In March 2005, the E source Green Energy Watch fielded the fourth annual online survey of green pricing program managers at utilities in the U.S. and Canada. The data, collected from more than 30 programs, covered their activities for calendar year 2004. This year’s data not only updates previous benchmarks—such ...
Content type: Research, Research Brief | Document ID: GE-RB-4 | Author: Barry Friedman
Making Renewable Energy Print Materials Work: The Customers and Experts Speak
December 1, 2004
Comments concerning more than 15 marketing pieces from green pricing and renewable energy programs in North America that were made by nine senior advertising/communications professionals and more than 500 energy customers surveyed online and in focus groups demonstrate that many green pricing programs ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-14 | Author: Barry Friedman
Buying Green Power: Does It Make Cents for Your Company?
July 1, 2004
Although a green energy purchase should not be expected to pay for itself with a direct economic return, it can have tangible benefits that have been persuasive with decision-makers. The three most compelling arguments are quantifying the “earned” media value of renewables; using renewables to help ...
Content type: ESCD Report, Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-7 | Author: Barry Friedman
Staying on Track
June 1, 2004
Developing and implementing tracking systems is an ongoing, multistep process, not a one-time event, but the effort is worth it. Green pricing programs (GPPs) stand to benefit handsomely from a concerted effort to measure and benchmark their marketing efforts, including geographic targeting data, pricing ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-6 | Author: Jim Burke, Tom Jas, Adam Capage
Guerrilla Marketing: Low-Cost Tactics Maximize Marketing ROI
May 1, 2004
In today’s strenuous economic environment, many ESPs are feeling the pressure of smaller marketing budgets and reduced staffing, while coping with customers and prospects that are less likely to spend money on products and services. What can a marketer do when traditional approaches are proving less ...
Content type: Core Report | Document ID: ER-04-06 | Author: Matthew Joyce
Trends in Marketing Green Energy: 2004 Benchmarking Study
March 1, 2004
In February 2004, the E source Green Energy Service conducted the third annual online survey of green energy program managers at utilities in the U.S. and Canada. Each year the tracking data available from programs has improved; this year we gathered fully complete data sets from all but one of our ...
Content type: Research, Research Brief | Document ID: GE-RB-3 | Author: Adam Capage
PRIZM NE: A Cost-Effective Tool for Target Marketing
February 1, 2004
Target marketing is one key to successfully selling green energy and other residential energy offerings. Claritas Inc.’s geodemographic segmentation systems can help utilities achieve greater participation in green programs at a lower cost. With the recent release of “PRIZM NE” (or New Evolution), ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-5 | Author: Barry Friedman
Renewable Energy Credits: What Can They Do for Utilities?
November 1, 2003
This report updates our 2002 report on renewable energy credits (RECs), also known as tradable renewable certificates or green tags. This time we take a more in-depth look at some of the issues energy market players need to understand. For example: Under what circumstances will RECs be most beneficial ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-13 | Author: Paul Komor, Adam Capage
REC Trading in Compliance Markets: A Primer
August 1, 2003
This report explores state and regional renewable energy credit (REC) trading markets that have developed to track compliance with renewable portfolio standards (RPSs). We explain how REC compliance markets work, which ones are more effective for what purposes, and what the implications are for the future ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-4 | Author: Barry Friedman
E-mail in Action
July 1, 2003
An intensifying backlash against a powerful communication and marketing tool—e-mail—is fervent enough to frighten some companies from even talking about their e-mail marketing strategies. But the controversy also poses a unique opportunity for utility companies, many of which are just beginning to ...
Content type: Best Practice, Focus Report, Research | Document ID: EBIZ-F-10 | Author: Susan Moran
Trends in Marketing Green Energy: 2003 Benchmarking Study
June 1, 2003
In February 2002, we conducted the first-of-its-kind online survey of green pricing program managers at utilities in the United States and Canada, which allowed us to identify median residential customer acquisition costs for direct mail as compared with bill inserts and other marketing channels. For ...
Content type: Research, Research Brief | Document ID: GE-RB-2 | Author: Adam Capage
Wind Power: Opportunity or Albatross?
May 1, 2003
Although many ESPs continue to view wind power with skepticism, at best, a select few are boldly moving forward with serious investments. Why wind, and why now? For ESPs willing to set aside outdated beliefs, our interviews and market analyses show that wind power can be a smart move, especially for ...
Content type: Core Report | Document ID: ER-03-08 | Author: Paul Komor
Biogas: A Growing Niche for Distributed Generation
May 1, 2003
Biogas is a cost-effective application for distributed generation with the likelihood of continued growth. We examine biogas from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, livestock operations, organic industrial wastes, separated municipal solid wastes, and gasification of biomass. For each source, we ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: DE-21 | Author: Jon Slowe, Christine Hurley
Making the C&I Sale 2003: Can a Convincing Business Case Be Made?
April 1, 2003
What will entice businesses to pay a premium for green energy? Talk to decision-makers that have done so, and many will acknowledge the importance of tangible benefits in making the case to upper management. But a business case for green energy is tough to make.
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-12 | Author: Barry Friedman
Outsourcing for Green Pricing Programs: Benefits and Caveats
December 1, 2002
In 2002, for the first time, a green energy product was procured and retailed by an outside third party in partnership with a utility green pricing program. Under what circumstances might outsourcing green energy make sense for your utility? This report is designed to help utilities look at whether this ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-3 | Author: Barry Friedman
Small Hydro Projects
November 1, 2002
The last century saw two substantial hydropower building booms in North America: before the 1930s and after World War II. Today, hydro projects are much less common, even though many parts of the U.S. and Canada still have prime hydropower resources, particularly for small, low-impact hydro. The decrease ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: DE-F-1 | Author: Amanda Sysko, Ken Wicker
Market Research Survey II: Finding Green Energy Buyers
July 1, 2002
The single most important step in marketing green energy is to understand and identify those who are most likely to purchase it. Over the past two years, we have created a portrait of the green energy buyer and prospect by interviewing more than 1,800 green energy buyers and comparing their demographic ...
Content type: Service Report | Document ID: GE-11 | Author: Barry Friedman
Enlightened Self-Interest: Why Large Energy Users Are Buying Green Energy
May 1, 2002
Large energy users represent an appealing market segment for green energy programs; already, nearly one-third of all green electrons are sold to large energy users, even though the majority of programs have been marketed most strongly to residential customers. Green Energy Service members can provide ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-2 | Author: Adam Capage
Just How Good Is Green?
April 1, 2002
In the mid-1990s, proponents of green pricing programs (GPPs) suggested several ways in which utilities could benefit from establishing such programs. These benefits included improving relations with local stakeholders, gaining an education about renewable technologies, diversifying generation portfolios, ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: GE-F-1 | Author: Barry Friedman
Beyond Bill Inserts: Direct Mail Also Has a Place
April 1, 2002
Among respondents to a February 2002 E Source online survey of green energy program managers at utilities in the United States and Canada, bill inserts have been found to be the most cost-effective channel for acquiring residential green energy customers. However, if used properly, direct mail can also ...
Content type: Research, Research Brief | Document ID: GE-RB-1 | Author: Adam Capage
Wind Energy: Integrating an Intermittent Resource
March 1, 2002
Intermittent energy resources such as wind energy are less valuable in energy markets than dispatchable generation. But determining the proper discounted value is still far from a science, despite improving wind forecasting technology and increased system operator experience. This report explores the ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-10 | Author: Eric Hirst, Adam Capage
Tradable Renewable Certificates: An Overview
December 1, 2001
This report offers an overview of tradable renewable certificates (TRCs), which are a relatively new product in green energy markets. It also lists TRC marketers, describes TRCs being sold today, and outlines market barriers. If you are unfamiliar with TRCs, one way to understand them is to think of ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-9 | Author: Barry Friedman
The Keys to the Green Suite:Bundling Green Energy with Energy Efficiency and Related Offerings
July 1, 2001
In this report, E source draws on lessons learned from two in-depth case studies—one from the residential sector and one from the commercial sector. We conclude that a bundled offer can generate good response from commercial end users. We also conclude that residential end users are likely to be a ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-8 | Author: Barry Friedman
Understanding Residential Green Energy Buyers: A Market Survey
May 1, 2001
This report contains valuable information for energy service providers wishing to market premium-priced renewable energy programs. E source surveyed actual green energy buyers so that we can more accurately describe who is likely to purchase green energy, where they live, and cost-effective ways to ...
Content type: Service Report | Document ID: GE-7 | Author: Adam Capage and Barry Friedman
Across the Green Divide: What Green Energy Marketers Can Learn from Other Green Marketers
March 1, 2001
This report steps outside the electricity business to corral the many lessons from non-energy green products and services, including green building, organic coffee, recycled paper, ecotourism, and socially responsible investing. Many of these green or “values-based” products and services have been ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-6 | Author: Barry Friedman, Paul Komor
Making Green Electricity Programs Work: The Experts Speak Out
September 1, 2000
Utilities have been offering green pricing programs in regulated markets for several years. So what works? In-depth case interviews with managers of successful programs uncover what we’ve learned about the costs of customer acquisition, building internal political support, working with environmental ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-5 | Author: Paul Komor
Renewable Technologies for Green Electricity Programs
May 1, 2000
Shopping for green generation? The available renewable technologies vary widely in cost, consumer perception, technical performance, and political appeal. This report looks at the pros and cons of wind, photovoltaics, hydropower, landfill methane, and biomass. Although there is no one best technology, ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-4 | Author: Paul Komor
Pricing Green Energy
December 1, 1999
How should one price green electricity? This report summarizes experience to date in pricing green electricity, from both regulated and restructured electricity markets. Evidence from market research and from pricing of other green products is reviewed as well. The report pinpoints what works and what ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-2 | Author: Paul Komor, Christine Hurley
It's Not Easy Being Green: Obtaining Renewable Electricity for Resale
September 1, 1999
A surprising number of energy users are willing to pay a premium for electricity produced from what they see as less environmentally harmful generating sources. The robust consumer demand and the possibility of rising above a commodity-only market have enticed a rapidly growing number of energy service ...
Content type: Research, Service Report | Document ID: GE-1 | Author: Paul Komor
Is It Time to Go Green? Renewable Energy in Regulated and Restructured Markets
September 1, 1998
It has been six years since the first green power program was introduced. Predictions that up to a third of residential customers would be willing to pay the premium necessary to buy green power have proven to be overly optimistic. Actual participation rates hover around two or three percent. Some ...
Content type: Core Report | Document ID: ER-98-5 | Author: Adam Capage and William LeBlanc
U.S. Energy Policy Act 2005
Frequently Asked Questions
View frequently asked questions about the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005).
Content type: Legislative Resource - EPAct Resource
E Source on EPAct 2005
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) was signed into law in August 2005. We've prepared a bundle of E Source deliverables that will help you make sense of this complex law as it relates to your customer-facing programs.
Content type: Legislative Resource - EPAct Resource
