Listening to Customers: How Deliberative Polling Helped Build 1,000 MW of New Renewable Energy Projects in Texas
Between 1996 and 1998, eight Texas electric utilities polled their customers to determine what energy options they preferred to meet future electric requirements. The Deliberative Polls(TM) combined telephone surveys with town meetings where customers learned more about energy choices and discussed energy issues with each other and with panels of experts. After deliberating, they responded to the initial survey again, this time on the basis of their informed opinions. Customers changed their opinions substantially based on the information they gained during the town meetings. The results were unanticipated by either the utilities or their regulators--both entities changed their level of interest in and commitment to renewables and efficiency as a result of what they heard from customers. Subsequent to the Deliberative Polls, utilities and independent suppliers have made substantial investments in new renewable energy-based generation projects. And in 1999, the Texas Legislature included a renewable portfolio standard in the state's electricity restructuring law. All told, more than 1,000 MW of new renewables capacity has been developed in Texas since the deliberative polling events. The important contribution of the deliberative polls was to provide a measurement of what is important to those most affected by energy resource decisions--the public.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-99-GO10337
- OSTI ID:
- 15003900
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-620-33177; TRN: US201015%%192
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CAPACITY
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ELECTRICITY
TEXAS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
DELIBERATIVE POLLS
ENERGY CHOICES
UTILITIES
RENEWABLE ENERGY
PUBLIC OPINION
RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD
TOWN MEETING
ENVIRONMENT
WILLINGNESS TO PAY
MARKET
BLAIR SWEZEY
DENNIS THOMAS
WILL GUILD
RONALD LEHR
National Renewable Energy Laboratory