Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric 2010-2011 Residential Program Process Evaluations

For the Sempra Utilities, Evergreen staff headed a team that conducted process evaluations for 11 of San Diego Gas & Electric’s and 10 of Southern California Gas Company’s 2010-2012 energy efficiency programs. Tasks included developing logic models, fielding phone surveys, and conducting in-depth interviews in support of a process evaluation. In addition, Evergreen staff conducted a portfolio analysis to assess how well the group of programs fit within the broader energy efficiency program landscape within California as well as within the larger conservation program portfolio at SDG&E. Evergreen project management staff successfully directed three sub consultant research firms and two independent contractors as part of this effort.

Specific issues the Evergreen team explored for both utilities were:

• A general understanding of past experience with the Residential Programs;
• How customers first learned about the program and the best channels to use to reach these customers;
• Ease of application process, barriers to participation, and suggestions to make participation easier;
• Satisfaction with services received, participation drivers, timeliness, suggestions for improvement, customer preferences for online tracking and other potential program features;
• Satisfaction with program outcome, savings, other benefits customers perceive from participation; and
• Suggestions for other programs or services to help meet customer energy management needs.

In addition, Evergreen explored additional research issues including branding of programs, program overlap, geographic and demographic characteristics of participants and program standardization.

For SoCalGas, the Evergreen team utilized several data collection and analysis methods including 754 participant phone surveys, 250 general population phone surveys, 59 in-depth interviews with key market actors (in addition to interviews with SoCalGas program and management personnel), a comparison of each program to industry best practices, and GIS analysis of SoCalGas customer data. For SDG&E, the team conducted 747 phone surveys, 721 general population surveys, 115 in-depth interviews with key market actors and program and management personnel, and best practices comparisons and GIS analysis.

The Evergreen team's research revealed that:

• The Residential Program portfolio is providing good coverage of residential customer base (both SoCalGas and SDG&E)
• Customers generally are concerned about how their energy use affects the environment. (SoCalGas and SDG&E)
• Program tracking and data access need to be improved (SoCalGas)
• Program managers widely perceive increased regulatory reporting as an issue (SDG&E)
• Program tracking and data access need to be improved (SoCalGas and SDG&E)
• Rebate payment times need to be shortened (SoCalGas and SDG&E)
• Programs generally are consistent with industry best practices. (SoCalGas and SDG&E)