Changes in behaviour

Consumers are altering their behavior Yet are consumers willing in the first place to alter their behavior accordingly? A study conducted by BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH and power utility E.ON addressed this issue. Participating households shifted half of all their washing and dishwashing requirements to other times of the day to take advantage of cheaper tariffs, managing to save 25 percent of their electricity costs compared with the standard tariff. However, they tended to overestimate the savings associated with flexible electricity usage. Although many consumers are keenly interested in the issue of energy costs, they often lack any detailed knowledge of their electricity tariffs. Given that consumers are, however, willing to alter their behavior to take advantage of flexible tarifs, Siemens will continue to work consistently on equipping household appliances with relevant smart functions.