Stimulating Consumer Energy Saving
Nuon conducts campaigns to promote energy saving behaviour. Since 2006 we have more vigorously pursued savings through technical and constructional measures.
www.nuonenergiebesparen.nl
Nuon Energy Adviser
Energy Saving Lamps Promotion
Energy Box
What is measured improves
Even after the abolition of all sorts of subsidy measures in 2005 Nuon continued to develop innovative energy saving advice and measures for its customers. In 2006 we further expanded our expertise and secured a prominent position as a provider of energy saving services and products. Alongside a structural energy saving programme with an extensive website and advisory home visits, we also organise one-off actions to promote energy-saving products and energy awareness.
www.nuonenergiebesparen.nl
The new Nuon website www.nuonenergiebesparen.nl was launched in 2005. The site gives information and tips for saving energy through behavioural changes as well as technical and constructional measures. By means of the “VijfMinutenCheck” (Five Minutes Check) and the Nuon “Verbruikstest” (Consumption Test), visitors obtain insight into their consumption patterns in relation to the average consumption for comparable households. The “Verbruiksmail” (Consumption Mail) informs customers of their target consumption for that heating season, taking account of the weather forecast in the specific period.
Instead of the targeted 400,000 visitors, the site received 185,000 visitors in 2006. In 2007 nuon.nl will devote more attention to energy saving issues to attract more visitors.
Nuon Energy Adviser
Following a pilot in 2005, the organisation for the new Nuon Energy Advice service was set up in 2006. The Energy Adviser gives customers advice on technical and constructional measures that can help to save energy. This advice normally costs € 150 but was offered free of charge in 2006. The advice can lead to a concrete improvement plan including an immediate price quote for the implementation of the advised technical or constructional measures. Consumers thus have the benefit of a one-stop shop for advice and implementation.
In 2006 Nuon teamed up with an expert in wall, roof and floor insulation to assist with the implementation of technical and constructional measures. The Energy Adviser also gives advice on high-performance boilers. This is already a well-established service that Nuon offers through the business unit Feenstra. In 2006 1,750 visits were made. Energy Advice also forms part of EnergieKostenBeheersing (Energy Cost Control), a service launched in December where customers receive personalised advice on their energy bill and possible savings. With the launch of the Nuon Energy Adviser, Nuon is leading the way in the Netherlands.
Energy Saving Lamps Promotion
In 2006 customers were able to order energy saving lamps at a discount from Nuon. Over 8,000 lamps in total were sold.
Energy Box
As early as 2005 Nuon carried out tests with the BespaarDirect! (Save Now!) box. This contained a number of simple energy-saving products such as a stand-by killer and savings lamps that have an immediate impact on energy consumption. On the basis of the knowledge and experiences that we had thus acquired, SenterNovem invited us to take part in tests with an Energy Box that were being carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. Accordingly, an offer was made to 15,000 Nuon customers. In addition, the municipality of Woerden made the Energy Box available to local residents. A total of 15,000 packages were ordered, 5,000 more than expected. SenterNovem carried out the test to obtain insight into the most cost-effective way of realising energy savings among consumers. One of the findings was that customers prefer to compile the contents of the Energy Box themselves.
What is measured improves
In March 2005 Nuon became a partner in the ‘Meten is weten’ (Seeing is believing) campaign that was organised by Milieucentraal, an organisation dedicated to providing consumers with environmental information. Nuon’s contribution consisted of the provision of energy meters for measuring the consumption of household equipment such as washing machines.
The aim of the campaign is to provide consumers with more insight into their energy consumption. Consumers can borrow an energy meter which is then passed on to another interested consumer.
From March 2005 to mid-2006 over 19,000 people took part in the campaign. A survey carried out in June by Milieucentraal and Nuon showed that two out of three participants took energy saving measures after measuring their consumption. In so doing, they achieved average savings of 7% on their annual energy consumption.
