Green marketing in the Massachusetts electric company retail competition pilot program
With electric industry restructuring initiatives being introduced on the state and federal levels, retail access pilot programs serve an important function for examining competitive market issues, as well as marketing strategies and customer reactions to different power supply options. The experience gained through these pilots provides important insights into future power market operations, including the market for green power. The Massachusetts Electric Company`s (MECo`s) Choice: New England pilot for residential and small-business customers was a voluntary program developed primarily to test the billing and metering logistics that distribution companies will need in the competitive market. The pilot also offered a preview of program implementation and marketing under customer choice. It was the first retail competition pilot to explicitly include green power options in program design. The MECo pilot`s energy suppliers were selected through the issuance of a request for proposals (RFP). Respondents were asked to submit bids in one or more of three energy supply categories-price, green, and other options. These options were developed by the pilot administrator through internal meetings, discussions with state officials and other stakeholders, and a review of information from other similar pilots. For the green option, the pilot administrator did not establish a green standard. Instead, suppliers were allowed to submit offers that promoted environmental stewardship. Customer response to the different green options are reported. The pilot results clearly demonstrate that, in a competitive situation, there is interest in a variety of energy supply options, including green options. 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 563841
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-260-23507; ON: DE98001734; TRN: 98:000676
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Oct 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING AND POLICY
ELECTRIC POWER
MARKETING
PUBLIC OPINION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
SMALL BUSINESSES
GREEN MARKETING
ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY
MASSACHUSETTS
PILOT PROGRAMS
RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION