The energy industry is changing. Continued pressures from regulatory bodies, the government and the consumer are pushing utilities to reevaluate their current business models. These pressures can take many forms: aging infrastructure, emission limitations from the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, the shift in revenues for energy sales, and consumer demand (coupled with tax incentives) for cleaner technologies at lower costs, to name a few. While it’s a tumultuous time to be an energy utility, it’s also a time to thrive in the exploration of new opportunities. Nielsen’s Energy Behavior Track study is a snapshot of how consumers use energy and efficiency programs within their households, as well as how they perceive energy providers and green/renewable technology.

Approximately one-fourth of the U.S. population is unclear about the efficiency of their heating and/or cooling system.