6 RENEWABLE ENERGY AS A NEW CHOICE FOR CONSUMERS …
139
as well
Fig. 6.2 Supporting local energy producers through the consumer’s electricity
bill (Source Figure created by author, translated by Eivind Lande)
On the Minna Denryoku website, the “faces” of those who produce
electric power at generation plants are presented, in the same way as for
“vegetables with a visible face,” 2 and each month one can “support” the
power generation plant that one favors. When a customer “supports” a
power plant, Minna Denryoku gives 100 Yen from the electricity charge
that the customer has paid to the power plant. 3 Customers do not have
to do anything in particular: through the act of consuming energy they
are able to contribute financially to the place where power is generated,
and to contribute to the spread of renewable energy.
Consumer Segments
At Minna Denryoku our research divides consumers into the segments
depicted in Fig. 6.3. When the retail electric power market was liberalized the first to switch to new power companies was the “price conscious
segment,” while the main target of Minna Denryoku is the renewable
energy “committed segment,” which wants to use renewable energy even
if it costs more. Other groups are the “renewable energy supporting but
economizing segment,” which would like to use renewable energy if it
is cheaper, and the “disinterested segment,” which still has not thought
much about electric power.
139
as well
Fig. 6.2 Supporting local energy producers through the consumer’s electricity
bill (Source Figure created by author, translated by Eivind Lande)
On the Minna Denryoku website, the “faces” of those who produce
electric power at generation plants are presented, in the same way as for
“vegetables with a visible face,” 2 and each month one can “support” the
power generation plant that one favors. When a customer “supports” a
power plant, Minna Denryoku gives 100 Yen from the electricity charge
that the customer has paid to the power plant. 3 Customers do not have
to do anything in particular: through the act of consuming energy they
are able to contribute financially to the place where power is generated,
and to contribute to the spread of renewable energy.
Consumer Segments
At Minna Denryoku our research divides consumers into the segments
depicted in Fig. 6.3. When the retail electric power market was liberalized the first to switch to new power companies was the “price conscious
segment,” while the main target of Minna Denryoku is the renewable
energy “committed segment,” which wants to use renewable energy even
if it costs more. Other groups are the “renewable energy supporting but
economizing segment,” which would like to use renewable energy if it
is cheaper, and the “disinterested segment,” which still has not thought
much about electric power.