Cape Light Compact’s Smart Home Energy Monitoring Pilot Program was recognized nationally in a report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy as a successful and measurable tool to help consumers save energy.

USA TODAY Nov 2, 2010 – How can consumers and companies be motivated to save energy? They need to know how much energy they use, set measurable goals and be given incentives as well as feedback, says a new report that looks at 10 large successful programs.

An in-home energy monitoring system in Massachusetts, by Cape Light Compact and Grounded Power, cut energy use 9.3% and Salt River Project’s pay-as-you-go utility program in Arizona reduced it 12%, according to the report Tuesday by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. It says France’s Feebate program, which offered rebates for more efficient vehicles, cut vehicle energy use by at least 3%.

“Visibility is central to behavior change in all sectors — whether programs accomplish this through Web sites, in-home displays, pay-as-you-go programs, advanced billing, corporate energy management, labeling programs, or media campaigns,” says the report.

The 10 recent case studies used a variety of behavioral approaches in the residential, commercial and transportation sectors to reduce participants’ energy use from 2% to 20%.