Itron Report Reveals State of International Resourcefulness

In a recent announcement, Itron,?a company out to innovate the way utilities and cities manage energy and water,?debuted a landmark report detailing the current state of resourcefulness.?The 2018 Itron?Resourcefulness Report: An Analysis of International Energy and Water Trends?summarizes the key findings uncovered in an analysis of opinions sourced from more than 1,000 consumers and 1,018 utility executives, across 10 countries, five continents and all adult age groups.?The report reveals that?resourcefulness—defined as the thoughtful and careful use of energy and water—is top of mind for?utilities?and consumers alike, and?now, more than ever,?they?are ready to?take action?to create a?more?resourceful world.???

“The Itron Resourcefulness Report offers a wealth of knowledge on a number of topics. There were two key takeaways I found especially inspiring,” said Philip Mezey, president and CEO, Itron. “First, it’s clear that the global dedication to resourcefulness knows no borders—virtually every respondent was aligned on the fact that resourcefulness is important. This?is a critical milestone that we had to hit to continue improving. I was equally impressed by the personal accountability?expressed?by both utilities and consumers when it comes to upholding best practices for maximized efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability; this cohesive and community-wide approach to sustainability is the only way forward.”?

In analyzing the data that resulted from the responses,?the results point to?several key insights:

• Consumers are worried about inefficiency and waste, and they believe that utilities can—and must—do a better job at being resourceful.?Consumers’ concerns are validated by the point that only half of utility executives believe their utilities are running efficiently.?
• Virtually everyone thinks resourcefulness is important, and while there are disagreements around who is best equipped to improve it, the gap is narrowing?as each group has begun to envision a larger role for itself.?Consumers recognize their own role, with 58 percent seriously concerned about their personal impact on the environment.?
• Rates are too high and reducing pollution is a priority.?The number of utility executives who say affordable electricity prices are the most important element of resourcefulness jumped 56?percent from 2015. Three out of four consumers say electricity is overpriced. Now more than ever,?both groups?want to do something about it.?
• When they envision a resourceful future, consumers and utilities see more renewables, connected infrastructures, big data and smart cities.?Integrating renewables is a shared goal. It’s the?No. 1?unmet need among utilities; for consumers, it’s the number one goal they have for utilities.??
• Utilities are working to build a resourceful future, but challenges exist.?Utilities find they’re having a harder time keeping up with the pace of innovation; their biggest unmet needs are integrating renewables and investing in innovative infrastructure technologies.?Three?out of?four?utility executives?see a need to upgrade technology to make renewables happen.??
• Creating allies will be instrumental in building a more resourceful future.?For most consumers, the primary motivation for resourcefulness is to save money.?In fact, 61 percent of consumers would act more resourcefully if they could save 5 to 20 percent on their utility bills?This presents an opportunity for utilities to demonstrate that resourceful habits and investments can cut energy and water bills—a message that consumers respond to.?
• The time is now to act.?Consumers and utilities both want to move in the same direction.?They both want a resourceful world, to live in smart cities, and?to?make extensive use of renewable sources of energy. They want safer, less wasteful,?and?more efficient and sustainable communities.?The survey showed that 33 percent of consumers think they are best suited to increase resourcefulness, and 35?percent?think utilities are.??

“The insights from the Itron Resourcefulness Report underscore the importance of collaboration?between?public and private sectors,” said Amy Aussieker, executive director, Envision Charlotte. “I was inspired by respondents’ concerns?for creating a more resourceful future and the sense of urgency from both groups. A community-wide passion for sustainability?was?critical to our success at Envision Charlotte,?where?we?worked?with commercial buildings in?Charlotte’s Uptown?to reduce their energy consumption by?19?percent over five years.?The?project was an innovative approach to driving energy efficiency and a cross-sector effort to make Charlotte a leader in smart and sustainable cities.?It was a win-win for us,?and the insights from this recent report affirm that collaboration is key.”