Marketing and communications channels for diffusion of electricity smart meters in Portugal

Abstract

National roll-outs of electricity smart meters (ESM) have been undertaken in most of the European countries. The exchange of traditional meters into smart ones is a part of power system transmission into so called smart grids. In these smart grids, the communication and sharing of information happens in real-time and all market players, such as energy suppliers, sellers and consumers, play an important role. As the literature reveals, the successful deployment of ESM requires consumers’ awareness and engagement. That is why, within this paper, we investigate the impact of consumers’ knowledge on what ESM is, as well as the role of marketing platforms: both traditional (i.e. TV or radio) and modern ones (i.e. social media) in ESM diffusion. Based on the on-line survey conducted in Portugal (N = 518), we provide some policy and practical recommendations for energy companies and local authorities regarding the effective usage of marketing platforms and content.