Incentive for enrolling in conservation program combined with $50 in purchase rebates offers up to $125 in money back for smart thermostats buyers
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) reminds customers only one day remains to register for this winter’s Smart Thermostat Program, which closes this Thursday, March 1. The program gives customers up to $75 in incentives to register an ecobee or Nest smart thermostat to conserve natural gas for home heating this winter. Smart thermostats give users the ability to remotely control their home’s temperature via a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer; some are even controllable with virtual assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home.
“Smart thermostats are a great way to save money on natural gas bills, especially during the cold weather we’re having now,” said Dan Rendler, director of customer programs and assistance at SoCalGas. “The energy cost savings, combined with our Smart Thermostat Program incentives, plus $50 in rebates, make this a great time to buy one of these thermostats.”
Customers participating in the Smart Thermostat Program agree to allow minor adjustments to be made to their thermostat temperature settings for a few hours on days when SoCalGas calls a Natural Gas Conservation event. These events help lower the risk of possible natural gas shortages when demand is at its highest. Participants are notified at least two hours before any adjustments are made via their smart thermostat, web portal, mobile app, and/or email.
Owners of ecobee or Nest-registered devices with natural gas-heated homes in SoCalGas’ service territory are eligible to participate in the Smart Thermostat Program, with the exception of those enrolled in Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Save Power Days summertime electric demand response program. SoCalGas and SCE are working on a process that will allow dual-enrollment across both programs by next winter.
SoCalGas customers who enroll in the program will receive $50 for signing up by March 1 and another $25 for staying enrolled through the duration of the program, which concludes on April 1. These incentives can combine with a $50 purchase rebate on a smart thermostat for a total of $125 in savings for customers who take advantage of all three. Customers who participated in the SoCalGas Advisory Thermostat Program with ecobee devices last year will receive $25 for their full participation in the Smart Thermostat Program this year.
In Southern California, more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas to heat their home and hot water. According to the American Gas Association, households that use natural gas for water and home heating, cooking and clothes drying save an average of $874 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications.
SoCalGas is a leader in energy conservation, helping to keep natural gas bills affordable for customers and protecting their environment. Since 1990, the company’s energy efficiency and rebate programs have helped families and businesses save approximately $672 million on their natural gas bills and reduced emissions equal to taking almost 700,000 cars off the road.
