Residential Demand Response Enrollment & Trade-Off Assessment

Welcome! Thank you for taking part in this short survey about your household energy use and preferences. It should take about 14 minutes to complete. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may stop at any time. There are no right or wrong answers—we are interested in your honest opinions. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate. Please click 'Next' to begin.

Which of the following best describes your household's electricity service?

• I pay the electric bill for my household
• Someone else pays the electric bill for my household
• This is a business/commercial account
• I currently do not have electricity service

Which of the following best describes your home?

• Single-family detached house
• Apartment or condominium
• Townhome or row house
• Mobile or manufactured home
• Other

Which of the following devices or systems does your household currently have? Select all that apply.

• Central air conditioner
• Window or room air conditioner
• Electric heat pump (heating/cooling)
• Smart thermostat
• Electric water heater
• Electric vehicle or home EV charger
• Electric clothes dryer
• None of the above

Before today, how familiar were you with the idea that electricity demand and costs vary by time of day?

The next few questions are about programs that help customers shift or reduce electricity use during peak times. These are sometimes called 'demand response' programs.

Which statement best describes your familiarity with demand response programs?

• I currently participate in a demand response program
• I know what demand response is but I'm not enrolled
• I've heard of it but don't know the details
• This is the first I've heard of it

Which demand response program(s) are you currently enrolled in? Select all that apply.

• Direct load control (e.g., utility cycles your AC or water heater)
• Time-of-use rate (electricity costs more during peak hours, less off-peak)
• Critical peak pricing (much higher rate during declared peak events)
• Peak time rebate (you earn a rebate for reducing use during events)
• EV managed charging program
• Other

Overall, how satisfied are you with your current demand response program?

Thinking about the demand response program you are enrolled in, what has been your experience—what works well, and what could be improved?

How likely are you to enroll in a program that shifts your electricity use away from peak hours within the next 12 months?

How appealing does a demand response program sound to you overall?

Which of the following incentives would most motivate you to enroll? Select up to two.

• Monthly bill credit
• One-time sign-up bonus
• Higher rewards during extreme peak events
• Smart device discount or rebate
• Points or gift cards
• No incentive would motivate me

What, if anything, would hold you back from participating in a demand response program? Select all that apply.

• I don't want the utility to control my devices
• The incentives aren't worth it
• Comfort concerns (e.g., home too warm or cold)
• Privacy or data-sharing concerns
• Not enough information or unclear program rules
• Events happen at inconvenient times
• I rent and cannot make changes to equipment
• None of these would hold me back

Please rank the following potential benefits of a demand response program from most motivating to least motivating.

1. Monthly bill savings or credits
2. Helping grid reliability in my community
3. Environmental impact (lower emissions)
4. Smart home convenience and automation
5. Personalized energy insights and notifications

The next questions ask about specific ways a demand response program might work. Please consider how acceptable each approach would be for your household.

How acceptable would it be for your thermostat to be adjusted 1–3°F during a peak event (up to 2 hours)?

How acceptable would it be for your water heater to be briefly cycled off during a peak event?

How acceptable would it be for your electric vehicle charging to be delayed to off-peak hours?

How acceptable would it be to receive a notification asking you to voluntarily reduce use during a peak event?

If demand response events occur on weekdays, which time window would be least disruptive for your household?

• 7–9 AM
• 2–5 PM
• 5–9 PM
• Overnight (10 PM–6 AM)
• No strong preference

How much advance notice would you prefer before a demand response event?

• No advance notice (real-time)
• 15 minutes
• 30 minutes
• 1 hour
• 2 hours
• 24 hours

What is the longest event duration you would find acceptable?

• 30 minutes
• 1 hour
• 2 hours
• 3 hours
• More than 3 hours is not acceptable
• Not sure

Please rank the following program features from most important to least important to you.

1. Guaranteed ability to override or opt out of any event
2. Advance notice before events
3. Fewer or shorter events per month
4. Higher bill credits or rewards
5. Comfort protection (e.g., temperature limits)
6. Environmental and community reliability benefits
7. Smart device discounts or automation support

How many demand response events per month would you want the option to skip without penalty?

• 0 (I don't need to skip any)
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5 or more

Based on your responses in this survey, is there anything else you'd like to share about what would make a demand response program work well for you?

We'd like to learn a bit more about your thoughts on shifting your electricity use during peak times. Please share what comes to mind, and we may ask a follow-up question or two.

Finally, a few questions about you. These help us understand how different groups think about energy programs.

What is your age group?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

Which gender do you identify with? Select all that apply.

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Another gender
• Prefer not to say

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Less than high school
• High school or equivalent
• Some college, no degree
• Associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Graduate or professional degree
• Prefer not to say

What is your current employment status?

• Employed full-time
• Employed part-time
• Self-employed
• Unemployed, looking for work
• Unemployed, not looking for work
• Student
• Retired
• Homemaker or caregiver
• Prefer not to say

In which country or region do you currently live?

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• European Union
• Another country or region

Thank you for your time! Your feedback will directly help shape future demand response programs. Your responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate.