Welcome to the E Source blog! Our staff will share insights and observations about life at E Source, our events, our research, and other fun stuff.


Lessons from Fast Food: Serving Up a Delicious Omnichannel Experience

November 18, 2015 | Jeffrey Daigle
The omnichannel experience is the pinnacle customer experience (CX). And when it comes to CX, utilities can learn from other industries, including fast food. We examine Taco Bell’s new website as a case study for an omnichannel experience.

Scam Alert! How Utilities Are Tapping into Social Media to Combat Scammers

November 15, 2015 | Sarah Howie
As the weather gets cooler, utility scammers are coming out in droves. Check out how utilities across the US and Canada are using social media to educate customers and keep scams at bay.

Getting Out Front on the Clean Power Plan

November 5, 2015 | Tim Stout
The final Clean Power Plan is now posted in the Federal Register. So it’s essential that utilities accelerate their activities around participation in statewide forums and act quickly and clearly to emphasize the benefits that energy efficiency and demand response bring to a utility's resource mix.

Holy Smokes! How the Pope’s View on Climate Change Can Spur Action in North America

October 22, 2015 | Jeffrey Daigle
The pope believes we should take action to stall man-made climate change. China’s President Xi is capping his country’s carbon emissions and moving to renewables. Global initiative RE100 is getting organizations to commit to adopting renewable sources. Can these events change US policy?

Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is: E Source’s Investment in EV Workplace Charging

October 8, 2015 | Meredith Ledbetter
We love when we can implement our own advice. Three years ago, we installed an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at the E Source headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. The installation has helped promote EV adoption among employees. Read our report to learn how other businesses can adopt EVs.

Utilities Can Help Customers Self-Serve by Doing a Website Task Analysis

October 1, 2015 | Felicity Tucker
Getting customers to perform a task analysis on your website can help you identify the top reasons your customers visit your site. Armed with this information, you can design a website that meets customers’ needs and improves their experience with your brand.

TCPA Noncompliance? A Utility Nightmare

September 29, 2015 | Jeffrey Daigle
Failing to comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) can be a utility's worst nightmare, as the costs of noncompliance are terrifyingly high. Our recent report provides several strategies that can help protect you from a potentially bleak reality.

Insight I Wish I’d Had When I Worked on E-Billing Adoption

September 23, 2015 | Keenan Samuelson
It used to be my job at a nearby utility to increase paperless billing participation. It didn't take long for me to be humbled by the challenge. Now that I'm a researcher and have analyzed the topic more thoroughly, I can offer insightful advice. Read our recent report to learn more.

Why Utilities Will Be Tesla’s Biggest Battery Customers

September 18, 2015 | Jay Stein
Utilities use large-scale batteries for a wide variety of applications, such as regulating frequency and shifting excess supply to times of higher demand. If Tesla can actually deliver batteries at an installed price of $1,000 per kW or less, it has a good chance of competing in this market.

Battery Demand-Charge Management Looks Promising

September 16, 2015 | Jay Stein
To reduce monthly demand charges in commercial and industrial buildings, batteries charge up during times of low demand and discharge during peak times. This application is doing well in California, but as battery prices continue to drop, look for it to expand to additional markets.