Boulder, CO (July 14, 2014) – Milton Hydro, in partnership with Simple Energy, will deliver a social benchmarking program to residential customers in Milton, Ont., beginning later this July. Funded by the Ontario Power Authority’s Conservation Fund, the Milton Community Energy Challenge will demonstrate how a community engagement program can deliver behaviour-based energy conservation. Customers who choose to participate will earn rewards for reducing their household energy use. They will also be able to help local schools win up to $10,000 in awards by joining a school challenge team.
“We value our relationships with customers and view them as an important resource for Milton Hydro. We want to offer the community a behaviour-based energy conservation program that goes beyond the status quo,” said Frank Lasowski, President & CEO of Milton Hydro. "Simple Energy shares in our vision and will partner with us to deliver the Milton Community Energy Challenge. We selected Simple Energy as a partner because of their ability to provide a digital solution that uses relevant messaging and engaging software services that will help our customers make sense of their energy usage, save more and enjoy doing so.”
Customers who enroll in the Milton Community Energy Challenge will receive weekly Energy Insight reports delivered to their email addresses. Energy Insight reports will help customers to better understand their household energy use with unique insights based on smart meter data and usage comparisons to similar households. The Milton Community Energy Challenge will offer deeper engagement online using Simple Energy software. Here participants will be able to track their household energy use, view school challenge team rankings, earn badges, complete energy saving tips for additional reward points, and redeem earned points for rewards. Reward points can be redeemed for gift cards, similar to credit card company rewards programs.
“The Ontario Power Authority is pleased to support this unique benchmarking program, and we encourage all Milton residents to participate in the Community Energy Challenge,” says Colin Andersen, CEO of the Ontario Power Authority. “The Conservation Fund is designed to help implement innovative ideas just like this one, to help us move conservation forward across Ontario. We congratulate Milton Hydro for taking a leadership role and participating in new conservation initiatives, and we look forward to the results of this pilot program.”
The Milton Community Energy Challenge will encourage elementary schools in Milton to compete for up to $10,000 in awards for the schools that educate and motivate parents, students, and teachers to save the most energy in their homes. When customers register to participate in the program they will be able to join the school challenge team of their choice.
The program will also support Milton Hydro in achieving its Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) targets. “We have already achieved major results from energy saving programs with utilities all over North America, and plan to replicate that success in our partnership with Milton Hydro” said Yoav Lurie, CEO and founder of Simple Energy.
About Simple Energy
Simple Energy’s software as a service (“SaaS”) digital marketing platform uses behavioral science, big data analytics, and digital marketing techniques to change how people save energy and how utilities engage their customers. Located in Boulder, Colorado, Simple Energy is currently partnering with top tier utility customers across North America. Simple Energy is making energy efficiency fun, social, and rewarding. For more information visit www.SimpleEnergy.com.
About Milton Hydro
Milton Hydro Distribution Inc. is a local distribution company, which is responsible for distributing electricity to more than 34,000 business and residential customers within the Town of Milton. Milton Hydro Distribution Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Milton Hydro Holdings Inc., whose sole shareholder is the Town of Milton. Milton Hydro has been providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity service for nearly a century.
About the OPA
The Ontario Power Authority is responsible for ensuring a reliable, sustainable supply of electricity for Ontario. Its key areas of focus are planning the power system for the long term, leading and coordinating conservation initiatives across the province, and ensuring development of needed generation resources. The Conservation Fund supports new and innovative electricity conservation initiatives, to help Ontario’s residents, businesses and institutions cost-effectively reduce their demand for electricity.
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For more information on the Milton Community Energy Challenge, or information about Simple Energy, please contact Katharine Rhodes, Simple Energy, USA, 949-680-5024; email: [email protected]