Earn up to $200 to participate in our study

You have been selected to help guide SDG&E® and the state of California as we move towards Time of Use (TOU) electricity pricing. We’ll pay you up to $200 to participate in this valuable study!

How the study works:

You  will be moved from your current pricing plan to a TOU plan1   and then placed in one of the following groups:

  • Thermostat Group: In this group, we’ll come to your home and install an ecobee3 liteTM smart thermostat, which you can interact with through a mobile phone app. Valued at $170, there’s no cost to you and you can keep it after the study is over. Click here to learn more about how smart thermostats can help with managing energy use.
  • Control Group: This group serves as the control group and participants don’t receive a thermostat but will receive $100 for enrolling. This group will be evaluated against the thermostat group. 

We’ll track both groups’ energy use for one year (starting in the fall of 2018). In addition to the benefits described above, you’ll be given $100 if you complete three surveys throughout the process. Your actions and responses will help guide our program plans and education efforts – specifically, if and how new technologies like smart thermostats benefit TOU customers.

What is TOU?

Beginning this year, new residential pricing plans, called Time of Use (or TOU), are available. With TOU pricing, each day is broken into on-peak and off-peak time zones with energy costing less during the off-peak hours. During on-peak hours, the grid is working harder than usual to produce energy, making the cost of electricity go up. By shifting more of your energy use to off-peak hours, you’ll have the ability to manage your home’s energy use and pay less on your monthly bill.

It’s a Win-Win!

By enrolling in this study, you have an opportunity to “test drive” TOU before most of our customers and you can earn up to $200 for participating and providing feedback. PLUS, with no-risk pricing, if you end up spending more than you did on your previous pricing plan, we’ll credit you the difference!

How do I sign up:

Simply fill out our online interest form to see if you qualify, or, if you received a letter in the mail, return the business reply card expressing your interest (have your SDG&E account info handy). We will contact you within 5 business days to let you know if you qualify and which group you will be in. For more information about this program, you can contact our Energy Savings Center at 1-800-644-6133.

1Participants will be moved to the TOU-DR1 rate.