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.


The Changing Climate Makes Utility DSM More Vital Than Ever

March 30, 2017 | Essie Snell
Despite uncertainty around federal climate change action, utilities are playing—and will continue to play—a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by promoting energy efficiency and setting the stage for increased renewable energy production by adding resilience to the grid.

YouTube and the Water-Energy Nexus

March 17, 2017 | Logan Jacobson
An amateur chef on YouTube treats water as though it's free, but what does it actually cost? People in the energy industry have trouble justifying measures that would address the water-energy nexus because our society fails to appreciate the true value of water.

Simple Websites Lead the Way in Utility Marketing and Brand Storytelling

March 13, 2017 | Sarah Howie
After years of effort and investment, many utilities are launching new websites that do double duty as information hubs and powerful marketing and brand communications platforms. Site redesigns can be pricey and labor-intensive, but the payoff is worth it.

Turning Up the Heat: The Rapid Surge in Smart Thermostat Programs

March 9, 2017 | Eric Wilczynski
For the last few years, utilities have been offering discounts and incentives to customers who adjust their smart thermostats in the winter or summer. Our updated report looks at more than 100 programs that empower customers with additional control over their energy use.

Are Microgrids Now Worth the Risk?

March 3, 2017 | Bryan Jungers
We’ve been watching the evolution of microgrids for a few years now, and they never gained traction in the marketplace. But now, APS sees microgrids as the right solution for the customer and the utility.

OK Google, How Much Energy Does Alexa Consume?

February 20, 2017 | Essie Snell
Voice-controlled devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home are rapidly gaining market share and may prove to be a key interface for the smart home over the next year or two. But for energy nerds like me, there’s a persistent and nagging question: How much energy do these devices actually consume?

The DSM Roundup of Innovative Residential Programs Is Coming! Are You Registered?

January 26, 2017 | Isaac Wintermute, Bryan Lin
The DSM Roundup goes beyond introducing fresh ideas; it gives insight into which new programs are really working. Attend the event on February 8 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST to find out which innovative residential demand-side management (DSM) programs made the cut.

Creating a CX Culture Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

January 19, 2017 | Shawn Silzer
Customer experience (CX) leaders are generally highly driven, but sometimes we need to step outside of our comfort zone and demonstrate patience if we're to succeed in implementing a CX culture at our organizations. AGL Resources offers a success story that we can all learn from.

Your Prescription for Content Strategy

January 16, 2017 | Jeffrey Daigle

Creating content for content’s sake is not enough to drive customer behavior. E Source has a prescription to help cure some of your utility's communications-related maladies: content strategy. With a simple exercise, we can get you started with a core content strategy statement.

What the Top Technologies and Trends of 2016 Tell Us to Expect for 2017

January 13, 2017 | Jay Stein
At the start of every year the E Source tech team selects its 20 favorite technologies and trends for the previous year. It’s fun to look back at what happened over the course of 2016, but it’s also valuable to think about what those trends portend for 2017.