Smart Energy GB collaboration on consumer demand for time-of-use tariffs

Researchers at the UCL Energy Institute have undertaken one of the first academic collaborations with Smart Energy GB, the organisation launched last year to lead on public engagement with the national smart meter roll-out. 

Doctoral researchers Michael Fell and Moira Nicolson undertook two randomised control trials to test how the design and marketing of time-of-use tariffs impacts on their acceptability. The research provides the first national measure of demand for a range of new ‘demand-side response’ tariffs, which aim to influence when people use electricity. More than 4000 people across Britain took part via an online survey.  

The results will be presented to stakeholders at a policy roundtable event in March 2015. The results highlight a range of consumer characteristics associated with greater demand for time-based tariff structures. A report is being produced to accompany the event, and a number of articles are in preparation. The research was supervised by David Shipworth and Gesche Huebner, both of UCL Energy Institute.

If you would like receive a copy of the final report when published, please contact Mike Fell