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San Jose, CA Peak Rewards program incentivizes business energy savings during summer
City-run San Jose Clean Energy (SJCE) informs commercial customers by text or email of up to six voluntary Peak Rewards events per month. Each event occurs in the late afternoon or early evening when the electrical grid is taxed by high usage rates. Participating businesses receive $0.50 to $2.00 per kWh in energy reductions based on whether the event is Level 1, 2, or 3. City officials plan an extension of Peak Rewards to residential customers by 2024 based on initial program outcomes.
San Jose, CA
United States
Tallahassee, FL protects utility customer identities with Voice ID biometrics system
Tallahassee introduced the optional AI-enabled system for callers with utility account questions. Account holders register personal passphrases if they opt into the system. Voice ID analyzes unique characteristics in each user's voice based on the passphrase recording. A recorded voice or voice not identified by the system triggers additional authentication efforts. The system retrieves utility records for support staff once identification is confirmed.
Tallahassee, FL
United States
Gilbert, AZ increases resident awareness of online utility payments with sweepstakes
The town's Utilities team introduced a sweepstakes for a $500 Visa gift card running through January 2023. Residents enter into the drawing if they sign up for AutoPay or complete three payments in a row through the billing portal. This contest followed a 2018 campaign that entered online portal users into a drawing for two Arizona Cardinals tickets. Increases in AutoPay and online payments reduce paper waste while improving the timeliness of payments.
Gilbert, AZ
United States
Los Angeles, CA offers discounted Flume devices for smarter approaches to water conservation
City subsidies for Flume devices reduce the buyer's cost from $149 to $24 plus shipping. Flume is affixed to a home water meter for around-the-clock monitoring of water consumption and potential leaks. Device data are sent to a dedicated mobile app with features like water budgeting and individual appliance monitoring. The pilot program complements existing conservation incentives like a $500 efficient washer rebate and up to $15,000 in rebates for eligible turf replacement projects.
Los Angeles, CA
United States
Miami-Dade County, FL addresses commercial water waste with Olea Edge Analytics meter pilot
Commercial water meters can miss up to 10% of water use and these customers represent up to 60% of county utility revenues. The company's EdgeWorks platform connects to sensors on 25 commercial meters during the four-month pilot. EdgeWorks uses artificial intelligence and blockchain architecture for secure, real-time data from targeted locations. Each location is analyzed for potential underbilling and water waste missed by manual meter reading.
Miami-Dade County, FL
United States
Waverley, NSW Pubs & Clubs Pilot Program eases energy costs for hospitality businesses
Three participating businesses receive free one-on-one guidance on appliance repairs and upgrades. The Pubs & Clubs team determines if lower monthly tariffs are available from energy suppliers through utility bill analysis. Waverley Council anticipates a 15% reduction in energy costs for each participant. The one-year pilot is an offshoot of the Building Futures program for energy savings in apartment buildings.
Waverley, NSW
Australia
Goeree-Overflakkee, ZH helps residents reduce energy costs with home improvements, advice, and loans
The Municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee is offering residents a sustainability loan to help private homeowners make energy-saving adjustments to their property. Residents can also access the Goeree-Overflakkee Energy Desk to receive free energy advice from an expert coach. The municipality is offering a one-off social assistance allowance of 200 euros to low-income households in order to help them pay their energy bills.
Goeree-Overflakkee, ZH
Netherlands
Besançon, BFC lets residents borrow free energy measurement kits to help reduce their utility bills
The City of Besançon is offering residents an opportunity to borrow free energy measurement kits in order to reduce their electricity, heating, and water bills. The energy kits include thermal cameras, power meters, thermo-hygrometers, and flow meters which allow residents to measure their household's energy losses, electricity usage, water consumption, and humidity levels. The measurement results are then provided to professionals to conduct the necessary renovations to reduce utility bills.
Besançon, BFC
France
Jackson, MS partners with Utility Metering Solutions to replace faulty Siemens smart water meters
The City of Jackson is partnering with Utility Metering Solutions to install approximately 55,000 residential and commercial water meters. These will replace faulty smart water meters previously installed during a $90 million energy performance contract with Siemens which prevented the city from properly billing for water utilities.
Jackson, MS
United States
North Las Vegas, NV Utilities Department launched an advanced metering infrastructure project
The City of North Las Vegas Utilities Department launched an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) project to replace aging or failed meters, registers, and radios. The new AMI system improves conservation efforts by allowing customers to view their own water consumption, reducing the unaccounted for water within the service area, and accurately billing for true consumption. The new system also gives the city the ability to monitor pressure zones and forecast growth in the service area.
North Las Vegas, NV
United States
St. Petersburg, FL boosts Utility Assistance Program with neighborhood mini-grant competition
Low-income households struggling with energy bills are supported by the Utility Assistance Program. Utility customers were encouraged to donate to the program during a two-month holiday competition in 2021. Participants rounded up to the nearest dollar on upcoming bills or donated any amount to qualify. Three neighborhoods with the most donors during this period received $500 mini-grants for events and volunteer programs.
St. Petersburg, FL
United States
Lake Charles, LA is replacing over 35,000 outdated water meters with new automated meters
The City of Lake Charles is partnering with Sustainability Partners to replace over 35,000 outdated 30-year-old water meters with new automated water meters. These new meters will eliminate the need for meter readers, provide customers with more accurate water bills, quickly identify water leaks, and reduce the amount of wasted water. The project is supported by $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding and by charging participating households an additional $3 monthly service fee.
Lake Charles, LA
United States