What is a TED talk from 2013 doing here? The idea presented by Alex Laskey may not be new but it is increasingly current: how can we get people across the globe to start paying attention to the energy they're using, and start wasting less of it?
Research shows that if something is inconvenient, even if we believe in it, moral suasion and financial incentives, don't do much to move us. But social pressure, that's powerful stuff. If harnessed correctly, it can be a powerful force for good.
Inspired by this insight, Alex Laskey and Dan Yates started a company called Opower, which builds software and partners with utility companies that want to help their customers save energy. They deliver personalized home energy reports that show people how their consumption compares to their neighbors in similar-sized homes.
In 2014, Opower went public, and in 2016, it was acquired by software giant Oracle for $532 million. Households that get energy from a utility company that uses Opower's energy efficiency recommendations have saved more than 32 terawatt hours of energy savings and people have saved $3.3 billion off their energy bills. You can read more about Opower here.
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A pinch of data and psychology
What is a TED talk from 2013 doing here? The idea presented by Alex Laskey may not be new but it is increasingly current: how can we get people across the globe to start paying attention to the energy they're using, and start wasting less of it?
Research shows that if something is inconvenient, even if we believe in it, moral suasion and financial incentives, don't do much to move us. But social pressure, that's powerful stuff. If harnessed correctly, it can be a powerful force for good.
Inspired by this insight, Alex Laskey and Dan Yates started a company called Opower, which builds software and partners with utility companies that want to help their customers save energy. They deliver personalized home energy reports that show people how their consumption compares to their neighbors in similar-sized homes.
In 2014, Opower went public, and in 2016, it was acquired by software giant Oracle for $532 million. Households that get energy from a utility company that uses Opower's energy efficiency recommendations have saved more than 32 terawatt hours of energy savings and people have saved $3.3 billion off their energy bills. You can read more about Opower here.
No items found.
No items found.
Previous Article
Next Article
A pinch of data and psychology
What is a TED talk from 2013 doing here? The idea presented by Alex Laskey may not be new but it is increasingly current: how can we get people across the globe to start paying attention to the energy they're using, and start wasting less of it?
Research shows that if something is inconvenient, even if we believe in it, moral suasion and financial incentives, don't do much to move us. But social pressure, that's powerful stuff. If harnessed correctly, it can be a powerful force for good.
Inspired by this insight, Alex Laskey and Dan Yates started a company called Opower, which builds software and partners with utility companies that want to help their customers save energy. They deliver personalized home energy reports that show people how their consumption compares to their neighbors in similar-sized homes.
In 2014, Opower went public, and in 2016, it was acquired by software giant Oracle for $532 million. Households that get energy from a utility company that uses Opower's energy efficiency recommendations have saved more than 32 terawatt hours of energy savings and people have saved $3.3 billion off their energy bills. You can read more about Opower here.
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